GIFT   OF 


GIFT 
MAY  £8  1914 


VOCATIONAL 
SURVEY  q 
MINNEAPOLIS 

1 01  3 

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UNIVERSITY 

r      or 


A  VOCATIONAL 
SURVEY 


OF 


MINNEAPOLIS 


PUBLISHED  BY 


Tke  Minneapolis  Teachers'   Glut 


1913 


Introduction. 


A  year  ago  a  group  of  men  and  women  interested  in  the  wel- 
fare of  boys  and  girls,  and  somewhat  acquainted  with  conditions 
that  confront  them  upon  their  entrance  into  industrial  life,  decided 
that  it  was  time  to  make  a  survey  of  the  city.  There  had  been  much 
talk  of  training  for  the  trades  in  the  public  schools ;  and  apparently 
there  was  reasonable  ground  for  this  advocacy.  We  knew  that 
in  1900  the  people  who  worked  in  Minneapolis  were  distributed  as 
follows : 

In  all  gainful  occupations 66,170  % 

Agriculture 1,542  2.3 

Professions   3,687  5.6 

Domestic  and  Personal  Service  12,818  19.4 

Trade  and  Transportation  24,043  36.4 

Manufacturing  and  Mechanical  Pursuits 24,080  36.4 

Moreover,  the  Civic  and  Commerce  Association  reported  at 
the  time  of  the  "Made  in  Minneapolis"  display  that  40,000  persons 
were  now  engaged  in  manufacture  in  this  city.  This  was  not  at 
wide  variance  with  the  general  statistics  of  the  1910  census,  which 
shows  that  our  national  population  has  increased  21%,  but  in- 
dicates a  phenomenal  figure  for  the  growth  of  manufacture :  an  in- 
crease of  40.3%  in  those  engaged  in  making  things.  It  would  be 
near  the  truth  to  say  that  about  40%  of  those  in  gainful  occupa- 
tions in  Minneapolis  are  in  manufacture  and  mechanical  pursuits, 
and  nearly  the  same  number  in  trade  and  transportation.  It  was 
further  evident  from  statistics  that  the  skilled  craftsmen  of  this 
city  were  divided  among  natives  and  foreign  born  in  the  ratio  of 
one  to  six,  and  it  was  also  clear  that  the  intelligent  classes  from 
Northern  Europe, — the  Germans,  Scandinavians,  and  English,— 
were  not  crossing  the  ocean  to  find  here  their  future  homes.  South- 
eastern Europe  was  being  emptied  of  its  ignorant  population,  ac- 
customed to  a  standard  of  life  little  better  than  that  ot  the  cattle  with 
which  they  housed.  These  people  had  lived  in  a  far-away  indus- 
trial epoch,  where  implements  were  yet  primitive  and  modern 
trades  and  machines  unknown.  It  was  absurd  to  look  to  these 
people  to  find  trained  workers  to  take  the  places  of  the  five  per 
cent  who  for  one  reason  or  another  leave  the  ranks  of  skilled 
artisans  every  year  or  to  find  the  other  three  per  cent  needed  to 
do  the  added  work  of  a  rapidly  growing  community.  What  more 
natural  than  to  turn  to  the  public  schools  and  ask  of  them  a  supply 
of  skill?  So  here,  as  in  most  cities,  there  was  much  talk  of  trade 
training  in  our  schools,  and  a  rather  aggressive  insistence  that 
this  new  work  be  undertaken.  Was  there  a  real  demand?  or  was 
this  a  new  educational  fad  sweeping  across  the  country,  to  be  lost 
in  the  great  abyss  of  educational  nostrums,  along  with  vertical 
writing  and  basketry?  That  was  to  be  determined. 

285680 


Educators  are  usually  learned  men;  but  this  world  generally 
does  not  ascribe  to  them  an  abundance  of  sound  sense.  These 
learned  men  have  charge  of  the  greatest  plant  in  the  world, — our 
schools.  A  half  million  employees  are  at  work  at  an  annual  ex- 
pense to  the  nation  of  $450,000,000.  The  product  of  this  institution 
should  be  manhood  and  womanhood,  efficient  to  take  its  place  in  the 
world  of  workers,  and  firmly  established  in  habits  of  right  think- 
ing and  noble  action.  Yet  who  is  accounted  efficient  for  the  work 
of  to-day?  Certainly  not  the  armorer,  no  matter  how  skilled, — for 
what  need  have  we  of  him?  Possibly  not  the  boot  maker;  for  the 
best  and  latest  in  boots  come  from  big  factories.  And  so  rapidly 
do  industries  change  that  confusion  awaits  the  man  still  using 
methods  of  ten  years  ago.  No  system  of  education  can  be  efficient 
until  the  conditions  of  life  to  which  pupils  go  are  thoroughly 
known.  No  manufacturer  would  think  of  setting  his  machines  to 
make  "what-nots"  or  muzzle-loading  guns;  they  were  all  right 
in  their  day  but  that  day  is  now  yesterday.  The  first  thing  for 
the  man  of  business  is  to  know  what  the  market  demands.  And 
the  managers  of  the  schools  must  explore  their  market  to  know 
what  is  demanded  of  the  education  factory.  That  is  the  reason 
for  this  survey. 

The  Commission  was  made  up  of  persons  well  known  in  the 
City  and  representative  of  differing  interests.  They  were  Henry 
F.  Burt,  Resident  at  Pillsbury  Settlement  House ;  George  H.  Elwell, 
Manufacturer  and  President  of  the  Board  of  Education;  Charles 
Fischer,  Trades  and  Labor  Assembly;  George  M.  Gillette,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Minneapolis  Steel  and  Machinery  Co. ;  Albert  Hedler, 
Principal  of  the  Franklin  School;  Frank  Hoffman,  Statistician  of 
the  State  Department  of  Labor;  Lydia  Herrick,  Unity  House; 
Lowell  E.  Jepson,  President  of  the  Winkley  Artificial  Limb  Co. ; 
Don  D.  Lescohier,  State  Department  of  Labor;  Eugene  T.  Lies, 
Secretary  of  the  Associated  Charities;  W.  B.  Northrop,  Manager 
of  the  North  Star  Woolen  Mills;  D.  H.  Painter,  Principal  of  the 
Adams  School ;  Mrs.  Anna  H.  Phelan,  Department  of  Sociology, 
University  of  Minnesota;  E.  V.  Robinson,  Department  of  Eco- 
nomics, University  of  Minnesota;  George  E.  Vincent,  President  of 
the  University  of  Minnesota;  Norman  Wilde,  Department  of 
Psychology,  University  of  Minnesota;  W.  F.  Webster,  Principal 
of  East  High  School ;  S.  Wirt  Wiley,  Secretary  of  the  Young  Menjs 
Christian  Association.  During  the  year,  Mr.  Burt,  Mr.  Lies,  and 
Mr.  Hedler  resigned  their  positions  on  account  of  removal  from 
the  city;  in  their  places  were  appointed  Anna  Fox,  Secretary  of 
Jewish  Charities ;  T.  W.  Gilbert,  Assistant  to  the  Superintendent  of 
Schools ;  and  Stiles  P.  Jones,  Secretary  of  The  Voters'  League. 

At  the  first  meeting,  Mr.  Webster  was  chosen  Chairman,  and 
Miss  Herrick,  Secretary.  Upon  looking  over  the  field,  it  was  de- 
cided that  to  make  a  survey  that  would  be  of  value,  some  paid 
worker  who  would  give  all  her  time  to  the  project  must  be  secured. 
This  meant  that  money  would  be  needed.  Here  was  a  piece  of 
work  essential  for  guidance  in  the  next  forward  movement  in  our 
city's  plan  for  education.  And  it  was  too  big  for  a  few  persons  to 


carry.  The  logical  thing  was  to  seek  for  some  organization  to  carry 
it  through.  It  was  very  natural  to  turn  to  the  Minneapolis  Teachers1 
Club;  for  this  group  of  men  and  women  has  fostered  and  aided 
many  worthy  enterprises,  and  has  always  shown  a  largeness  in  its 
action  which  has  made  its  name  honored  throughout  the  city.  The 
Committee  was  not  mistaken  in  their  belief;  and  to  the  hearty  co- 
operation of  the  Teachers'  Club  is  due  in  large  measure  the  success 
of  this  survey. 

It  would  be  unjust  to  omit  another  agency  in  this  work.  The 
Board  of  Directors  of  Unity  House,  after  learning  from  Miss  Her- 
rick  the  need  and  value  of  this  work,  donated  the  services  of  this 
trained  social  worker.  To  her  wisdom  and  to  the  helpful  attitude 
of  Miss  Caroline  Crosby,  the  city  of  Minneapolis  is  largely  in- 
debted. This  Committee  desires  to  express  its  gratitude  to  both 
of  these  large-hearted  organizations,  the  Minneapolis  Teachers' 
Club  and  Unity  House,  for  their  generous  support  of  this  great 
enterprise. 

After  it  was  settled  that  the  work  could  be  carried  through,  the 
Committee  selected  Miss  Emily  Child  as  their  agent  in  this  survey ; 
and  to  the  enthusiasm  and  training  of  Miss  Herrick  and  Miss  Child, 
we  are  indebted  for  the  completeness  and  accuracy  of  the  report. 
It  is  no  easy  matter  to  get  such  intimate  information  about  a  family 
as  was  needed;  for  hardly  anything  was  too  personal  to  be  of  use. 
Just  the  matter  of  income  is  not  easy  to  come  at ;  for  all  people 
think  that  it  is  nobody's  business  how  much  they  earn.  And  when 
worth  in  a  community  is  decided  on  the  basis  of  earning  power,  as 
as  it  is  by  many  persons,  it  is  easy  to  see  why  the  tendency  is  al- 
ways to  make  as  good  showing  as  possible..  Then  when  a  stranger 
wishes  to  learn  why  a  father  is  not  at  work  while  a  frail  mother 
goes  down  town  every  day  to  toil  in  some  office  building;  or  why, 
in  a  prosperous  home,  the  son  left  school  at  fourteen,  to  accept 
three  or  four  dollars  a  week  in  a  candy  store,  very  often  native 
pride  hesitates  to  speak,  and  resentment  at  such  an  inquisition 
seals  the  lips.  Much  kindness,  patience,  and  tact  are  necessary ; 
and  in  many  cases  frequent  visits  were  needed  to  get  on  a  good 
footing  with  the  family.  And  to  the  honor  of  these  ladies  it  should 
be  said  that  they  always  succeeded ;  and  they  have  left  behind  them 
many  homes  that  to-day  welcome  them  as  true  friends. 

The  next  matter  was  to  determine  the  scope  of  the  survey.  It 
was  the  unanimous  opinion  that  whatever  was  done  should  be 
thoroughly  done,  so  that  the  material  should  be  complete  and  re- 
liable. This  of  necessity  narrowed  the  field.  It  was  concluded  to 
make  a  survey  of  children  leaving  school  between  the  ages  of 
fourteen  and  sixteen  four  years  ago,  and  to  know  the  complete 
history  of  each  one  included  within  the  survey.  The  impossibility 
of  covering  the  whole  city  was  at  once  apparent.  A  selection  was 
necessary.  By  no  one  could  a  selection  be  so  wisely  made  as  by  the 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  Dr.  Charles  M.  Jordan.  He  named  the 
Sheridan,  Adams,  Logan,  Monroe,  and  Seward  to  represent  the 
grade  schools;  and  the  Central  and  North  to  represent  the  high 
schools.  These  seven  schools  fairly  represent  the  whole  school 


population ;  and  whatever  conditions  were  found  in  them,  would 
approach  very  nearly  the  truth  for  the  whole  city.  Toward  the 
end  of  the  year  it  was  evident  that  more  cases  should  be  studied, 
and  these  additional  ones  were  taken  from  the  group  of  fourteen 
year  old  pupils  who  had  left  school  with  permission  of  Mr.  C.  E. 
Ashworth,  Employment  Agent  of  the  Board  of  Education.  This 
fact  accounts  for  the  large  number  of  fourteen  year  old  pupils  in- 
cluded in  the  report. 

Ten  months  were  spent  in  gathering  the  information,  and  a 
month  in  studying  it  and  getting  it  into  shape  for  presentation. 
The  tables  have  been  arranged  in  the  following  order:  1st,  a  set 
of  three  tables,  showing  the  sources  of  the  material  studied,  by 
school,  by  age,  by  grade,  and  by  nationality,  and  the  causes  of 
retardation;  2nd,  a  table  showing  upon  whom  the  responsibility 
should  be  placed  for  the  child's  leaving  school ;  3rd,  four  tables 
setting  forth  the  reasons  for  leaving  school,  and  the  economic 
status  of  the  family;  4th,  a  table  indicating  the  education  of  the 
children  after  leaving  the  public  school ;  and  5th,  five  tables  show- 
ing the  industrial  history  of  each  child,  his  wages,  the  number  of 
jobs,  the  kind  of  work,  and  his  advancement.  In  the  discussion 
comparisons  are  frequently  made  with  similar  reports  from  other 
cities;  immediately  following  there  will  be  found  the  conclusions 
reached  by  the  Committee  and  recommendations  for  further  work 
in  the  city. 


Recommendations. 


As  a  result  of  this  survey,  the  Committee  makes  the  following 
recommendations : 

1.  That  as  rapidly  as  would  be  economical,  the  schools  be  or- 
ganized on  the  "six-three-and-three"  plan,  beginning  differentiated 
courses  in  the  B7  grade.    These  courses  should  follow  three  broad 
lines:     (1)   leading  toward  the  academic  courses  in  high  schools: 
(2)  toward  the  commercial  courses,  or  directly  to  business ;  and  (3) 
toward  manual  training  in  high  school,  or  directly  to  manufactur- 
ing and  mechanical  pursuits. 

2.  That  preparation  for  the  trades  can  be  best  and  most  eco- 
nomically given  in  continuation  schools,  in  which  the  instruction 
shall  be  closely  related  to  working  conditions,  while  the  necessary 
skill  shall  be  gained  in  actual  wrork  under  the  usual  commercial 
conditions. 

3.  That  the  membership  of  the  Thomas  Arnold  School  be  en- 
larged to  include  all  boys  who  have  reached  the  age  of  fifteen  and 
have  not  yet  reached  the  seventh  grade.    And  that  a  similar  school 
be  organized  for  girls. 

4.  That  a  Department  of  Vocational  Guidance  be  organized. 
It  should  attempt  the  following  work :     1st,  a  survey  of  the  busi- 
ness and  industries  of  the  city,  giving  accurate  and  complete  in- 
formation regarding  the  wages,  hours  of  labor,  chances  of  promo- 
tion, sanitation,  and  moral  conditions  of  each  occupation.    -2nd,  a 
survey  to  indicate  clearly  the  value  of  the  present  courses  of  in- 
struction in  high  school,  not  only  the  industrial  and  commercial 
courses,  but  every  course  in  our  schools ;  in  this  should  be  included 
a  comparison  with  the  product  of    business    colleges    and    other 
schools,  and  the  opinions  of  employers  regarding  the  qualifications 
of  the  young  persons  in  their  employ.     3rd,  vocational  guidance, 
which  shall  assist  a  child  with  his  parent  to  find  his  proper  place  at 
work ;    establish  a  bureau  of  information  for  employers  and  those 
seeking  employment;   at  its   discretion,  within  the  law,   issue  all 
labor  permits;  and  have  general  oversight  of  the  boys  and  girls 
at  work. 

5.  That  a  set  of  records  be  kept  of  each  pupil,  giving  a  com- 
plete account  of  his  home  conditions,  his  physical  condition,  and  his 
mental  and  emotional  characteristics,  upon  which  information  may 
be  based  a  judgment  concerning  his  future  occupation. 

6.  That  as  an  adjunct  to  the  Board  of  Education  an  Advisory 
Commission  of  fifteen  members,  composed  of  employees,  employers, 
and   educators   be   established,   whose   duty   it   shall   be   to   report 
changes  in  the  demands  of  business  and  industry,  and  to  advise 
modifications  of  the  course  of  study  to  meet  these  new  demands. 

7.  That  a  law  should  be  enacted,  making  it  mandatory  that  a 


boy  shall  be  either  in  school  or  at  work  up  to  his  eighteenth  year, 
and  that  the  Department  of  Vocational  Guidance  be  charged  with 
the  duty  of  enforcing  such  a  provision. 

8.  That  a  School  Census  be  taken  of  the  city,  the  purpose  be- 
ing that  all  children  of  school  age  shall  be  in  school,  and  that  the 
Board  of  Education  may  have  the  benefit  of  this  information  in 
planning  for  the  future  of  the  city's  school  system. 

9.  That  an  age-grade  census  of  all  pupils  in  school  be  taken,  to 
determine  where  retardation  is  taking  place ;  this  should  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  study  of  conditions  in  order  to  remove  the  causes  of 
retardation. 

10.  That  the  Committee  endorses  the  effort  in  the  legislature  to 
secure  a  Commission  to  report  at  the  next  session  upon  the  whole 
subject  of  public  chanties,  including  the  relief  of  destitute  widows; 
and  the  idea  embodied  in  a  bill  before  the  present  legislature  es- 
tablishing a  minimum  wage  for  girls  and  women. 


Tke   S 


urvey. 


In  obtaining  the  names  of  a  representative  group  of  boys  and 
girls  who  left  the  schools  of  Minneapolis  in  1907  or  1908  when 
they  were  between  fourteen  and  sixteen  years  old,  the  following 
sources  were  used : 


1. 
tion; 


Schools  records  of  the  seven  schools  named  in  the  introduc- 


2.  The  general  card  catalogue  file  of  pupils  no  longer  in  at- 
tendance at  the  public  schools  kept  in  the  Superintendent's  office 
at  the  Court  House;  and 

3.  The  records  of  employment  certificates  granted  to  fourteen- 
year  old  children  in  the  above  years  by  the  Special  Truant  Officer  of 
the  Public  Schools. 

From  these  records  a  tentative  list  was  secured  which  was  com- 
pared with  the  general  school  file  at  the  Court  House  in  order  to 
eliminate  those  who  had  been  transferred  to  other  schools,  who 
had  re-entered  school  after  once  leaving,  or  who  were  known  to 
have  left  the  city. 

The  list  of  543  names  thus  obtained  was  subject  to  further 
elimination  upon  calling  at  the  homes.  185  were  struck  off  the  list 
for  the  following  reasons : 

Death  of  child _ _ 10 

Removal  of  family  from  city _ 35 

Inaccuracy  of  data  as  to  the  age  or  date  at  which  the 
child  left  school  140 

In  six  instances  the  information  obtained  remained  incomplete 
because  of  lack  of  time  for  satisfactory  interviews.  The  remaining 
352  constitute  the  group  with  whom  our  study  is  concerned. 


Table  I. 
SCHOOLS. 

The   following  table   shows   the   schools   from   which   the   352 
children  left: 


•» 

:S 

I 

$ 

»,, 

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2. 

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£ 

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*  & 

A  KEPRESENTATIVE  RECORD. 

Rebecca  C.,  daughter  of  Russian  Jew  parents,  left  High  School  in  11  B, 
1908,  aged  16  years. 

The  parents,  forty -six  and  forty-five  years  old  respectively,  came  to  New  York 
from  Southern  Russian  twenty-eight  years  ago.  They  remained  in  New  York 
three  years,  the  father  following  the  tailor's  trade,  which  he  had  learned  in  the 
old  country. 

Friends  of  the  family  persuaded  them  to  come  to  Minneapolis.  Speaking 
of  this  change  the  mother  said,  "When  I  lived  in  New  York  I  knew  that  the 
work  there  was  not  enough  for  so  many  people  to  live  on.  The  work  is  too  hard 
there  for  people  to  live  and  do.  Most  people  think  it  is  Heaven,  and  they  stop 
there  for  always  with  their  families,  and  that  is  not  right.  The  chances  here 
are  so  much  better  for  the  people  to  work.  They  have  more  of  fresh  air  and 
more  rest." 

They  came  to  Minneapolis,  taking  up  their  residence  in  the  Jewish  district, 
in  a  neat  little  home  of  seven  rooms,  for  which  they  paid  fourteen  dollars  a 
month  rent.  The  father  has  never  been  out  of  work  for  any  great  length  of 
time,  and  the  family  have  been  unusually  well.  They  lived  entirely  upon  the 
earnings  of  the  father,  an  average  of  seventy  dollars  a  month,  until  the  eldest 
son  finished  the  first  year  of  High  School,  when  he  went  to  work  as  a  clerk.  After 
this,  and  until  his  marriage  in  1911,  he  helped  the  family  financially.  The 
family  have  recently  purchased  a  beautiful  new  home,  furnace  heated  and 
modern,  in  another  section  of  the  city.  They  furnished  the  entire  house  anew. 
They  belong  to  no  organization  except  the  church.  At  the  time  Rebecca  left 
school,  there  were  still  four  children  in  school,  a  son  just  finishing  the  grades 
and  three  daughters  in  the  grades. 

Rebecca  started  to  school  at  six  years  and  was  graduated  from  the  grades  at 
fourteen  years.  She  comments  on  her  having  to  leave  school  thus,  ' '  Well,  I  did 
not  think  my  father  could  afford  to  keep  me  in  school  so  long.  We  had  a  large 
family  and  I  thought  my  father  had  done  as  much  for  me  as  he  could  afford  to 
do.  There  were  a  lot  of  younger  children,  and,  being  the  oldest,  I  felt  the  respon- 
sibility of  them  as  an  older  girl  does.  I  have  always  wanted  an  education  with 
all  my  heart  and  soul.  I  longed  to  be  an  educated  girl."  On  this  the  mother 
said,  "The  children  could  all  have  gone  through  school  all  right  if  they  had 
helped  themselves  a  little.  You  know  in  the  old  country  it  is  so  terrible,  the 
children  would  never  have  had  an  education  there.  In  that  country  only  a  few 
can  have  an  education  high  up,  and  all  the  rest  cannot  have  what  they  wan't. 
Here  I  am  so  ashamed  of  myself;  for  everyone  is  educated.  And  I  never  go  to 
the  schools  and  talk  with  the  teachers  because  I  have  no  education.  But  my  chil- 
dren— they  must  have  the  education  and  know  how  to  talk  and  enjoy  things." 

On  the  question  of  education  Rebecca  says,  ' '  I  feel  that  a  girl  can  go  through 
High  School  and  get  a  great  deal  out  of  it,  because  even  then  she  feels  that  she 
has  to  start  in  and  learn,  and  does  not  expect  more  than  she  ought  to  have.  In 
fact,  she  does  not  expect  as  much  as  she  really  ought  to  have ;  and  to  be  truthful, 
she  lowers  the  standard  of  wages  all  the  time.  Now  with  the  boys  it  is  different. 
A  boy  is  not  willing  to  start  in  as  he  ought  and  work  up  after  he  has  graduated 
from  the  High  School.  He  wants  to  start  in  with  something  more  than  he  de- 
serves, and  he  feels  himself  terribly.  If  he  can  go  on  to  the  University,  it  is  all 
right.  It  is  planned  for  him  to  do  that.  I  would  take  my  brother  out  after  a 

10 


year  of  High  School,  and  let  him  work  up  for  himself,  knowing  that  he  has  every- 
thing to  learn. ' ' 

"I  certainly  did  not  think  the  High  School  was  practical  when  I  was  there. 
Of  course  the  Commercial  Course  is  all  right,  if  you  took  four  years  of  it ;  but  I 
took  only  two,  and  when  I  got  through  with  that —  well,  you  know  I  had  to  go  to 
Business  College  anyway.  If  there  had  been  more  practical  courses  in  the  High 
School,  I  would  certainly  have  kept  my  brother  in  longer." 

Rebecca  remained  at  home  helping  her  mother  for  one  year.     She  says,  "I 

was  persuaded  to  go  to  the  -   Business  College  in  St.   Paul,  because 

I  had  a  friend  going  there  at  the  same  time.  I  saw  a  lot  of  girls  who  had  gone 
to  Business  College  earning  good  wages  and  having  a  lot  of  things  that  I  wanted 
and  couldn  't  have,  and  so  I  decided  to  get  to  work  and  learn  something  that  would 
help  me  to  earn  a  living." 

After  she  was  graduated  from  the  Business  College,  she  joined  an  Agency 
from  which  she  secured  several  temporary  positions.  She  worked  in  these  from 
two  weeks  to  six  months  each.  "I  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  stay  in  them 
as  long  as  there  was  any  opportunity,  but  that  I  would  never  stay  in  any  place 
that  did  not  offer  advancement. ' '  She  had  almost  no  dictation  in  any  of  the 
places  which  she  had  held  for  a  year  and  six  months  in  all.  Finally  the  Agency 
sent  her  to  a  Eailroad  office,  where  an  expert  stenographer  was  wanted.  She  said 
in  answer  to  their  question  that  she  was  an  expert  Stenographer.  "Now,  I  was 
really  shaking  in  my  boots  when  I  went  there;  but  I  gritted  my  teeth  and  said 
I  am  going  to  make  a  success  of  this  and  they  won't  be  able  to  get  along  with- 
out me.  Now,  I  think  I  have  succeeded  and  they  have  treated  me  as  white  as  any 
place  possibly  could.  They  have  given  me  opportunity  to  do  my  work  as  I  wanted 
to;  they  have  given  me  good  vacations  and  you  would  have  nothing  against  them 
as  employers  if  you  know  how  to  take  care  of  yourself.  Well,  I  feel  that  a  boy 
or  girl  isn't  worth  anything,  if  he  can't  make  an  employer  feel  so.  If  a  boy  or 
girl  will  work  for  a  little,  he  isn't  worth  any  more.  Make  yourself  efficient  and 
then  ask  for  your  proper  wages. ' ' 

1 '  Yes,  I  had  to  ask  for  most  of  my  raises.  //  the  High  School  would  train  the 
boys  and  girls  so  that  they  would  be  ready  to  go  after  something  with  assurance, 
then  they  could  settle  such  things  as  wages  when  they  go  to  worlc.  No  one  ought 
to  be  allowed  to  go  to  work  for  four  dollars  who  is  a  graduate  from  High  School, 
and  that  is  what  a  lot  of  girls  do. ' ' 

In  her  first  position  she  received  five  dollars,  and  worked  up  to  seven  dollars 
as  a  stenographer.  In  her  last  position  she  started  at  ten  dollars  and  worked  up 
to  thirteen  dollars  a  week. 

Rebecca  is  helping  the  younger  children  through  school.  The  older  girls  are 
now  in  High  School,  which  they  are  planning  to  finish.  The  younger  brother  who 
had  one  term  in  High  School  has  completed  a  Business  College  course.  Rebecca 
is  saving  money  and  has  entirely  supported  herself  since  she  started  to  work. 
She  says,  ' '  What  is  the  use  of  getting  an  education  at  all,  if  you  can 't  take  care 
of  yourself  and  save  a  little  money?  I  am  trying  to  save  enough,  so  that  I  will 
have  a  few  of  the  things  that  I  want  in  the  future. ' ' 

She  rides  to  work  and  usually  takes  her  lunch.  She  says  she  takes  most  of  her 
recreation  on  Saturday  afternoon  and  evening.  "I  hardly  ever  go  any  place  in 
the  evening  except  to  the  Library  or  to  take  my  music  lesson. ' '  The  mother  says 
of  the  rest  of  the  children,  "The  girls  have  some  one  here  all  the  time;  but  I 
want  them  to  have  their  company  here,  and  then  I  know  where  they  are.  They 

11 


have  a  good  time  and  I  let  them  have  the  house. ' '  She  said  of  Rebecca 's  am- 
bition, "She  works  so  much  like  that  all  the  time  and  she  never  rests.  It  makes 
her  too  nervous. ' ' 

Rebecca  says,  "The  school  should  prepare  you  to  enter  a  world  of  Commer- 
cialism. You  are  measured  in  this  world  by  what  money  you  can  earn,  and  you 
can't  tell  me  that  that  you  are  not.  Now,  no  one  cares  how  much  Latin  and 
Greek  and  History  and  all  that  stuff  you  know.  They  want  to  know  whether  you 
can  take  care  of  the  goods  in  their  department  or  office.  Now,  the  school  has  a 
lot  of  faults  beside  this  one.  Even  if  you  know  what  you  want,  they  will  not  let 
you  take  it  and  then  graduate.  Why,  the  Principal  had  a  hard  and  fast  rule 
when  I  was  there,  and  there  wasn't  much  choice  as  to  what  you  could  take.  How 
did  they  know  what  you  wanted  to  be?  Heaven  and  earth  couldn't  have  made 
them  change  their  minds;  and  what's  more  they  knew  a  lot  of  boys  and  girls 
were  leaving  school  because  they  couldn't  adjust  themselves.  You  would  think 
if  they  ever  found  any  youngster  who  knew  what  he  wanted  to  be,  they  would 
let  him  do  it  and  help  him  to  it." 

Rebecca  is  a  very  tense  person,  tall  and  strong,  with  a  splendid  carriage. 
She  is  very  neat  in  her  dress  and  very  confident  in  her  manner.  She  said,  "I 
wish  that  I  had  a  chance  to  tell  the  school  what  I  have  learned.  I  am  extreme- 
ly interested  in  this.  Good  Luck  to  you." 

In  reproducing  this  record  the  content,  rather  than  the  form  has  been  given. 


Table  II. 
NATIONALITY. 

TABLE  TL 

of 


The  nationality  of  the  parents  in  the  family  as  a  unit  is  here 
shown.  Thus  203  represents  not  the  number  of  individual  parents 
who  were  of  foreign  birth,  but  the  number  of  families  in  which  both 
parents  were  foreign  born. 

No  comparison  with  statistics  of  population  for  the  city  is  pos- 
sible, owing  to  the  fact  that  the  Census  Report  records  only  the 
country  of  birth,  without  considering  the  racial  extraction  of  a  peo- 
ple. It  may  be  of  interest,  however,  to  note  the  countries  which  are 
the  chief  source  of  the  foreign  born  population  (85,938)  of  Minne- 
apolis. The  figures  are  from  the  Census  Report  for  1910. 


FOREIGN  BORN  POPULATION  OF  MINNEAPOLIS. 

Sweden    -26,455 

Norway -16,401 

Germany   8,653 

Canada 7,492 

Austria    „  6,104 

Russia    5,675 

Ireland    —  2,867 

England    2,798 

Denmark   2,025 

Roumania    1,412 

Hungary 1,108 

Scotland 1,060 

Finland   861 

Italy    653 

Greece    463 

Switzerland    319 

France  293 

Other  599 

Of  the  352  children,  331,  or  94%,  were  born  in  the  United  States. 
The  remaining  21,  or  6%,  who  are  of  foreign  birth,  are  distributed 
as  follows : 

Jewish    9 

Canadian 4 

German    ,- 3 

Swedish    -1 

Norwegian   

Polish  -1 

English    1 

Danish    

13 


Table  III. 


PRESENTATION  OF  THE  GROUP. 


Girls 


Girls 


Girls 


fcfW 


Percent 


1? 


7 


7 


10 


as 


Vf 


Girls 


ft 


3/2 


\oo.o 


Percent 


57- 


Two  general  classifications  were  made  in  arranging  the  group 
for  study,  a  division  by  age  and  by  grade  in  school  at  the  time  of 
leaving.  The  terms  of  the  latter  classification  are  used  as  follows : 

Non-graduate :  those  who  did  not  complete  the  grade  school ; 
Graduate :    8  A  graduates  who  did  not  enter  high  school ; 

High  School :  those  who  entered  high  school  and  remained  for 
a  time  varying  from  2  months  to  2^  years.  This  classification  was 
found  to  be  more  effective  as  a  basis  for  comparison  in  the  tables 
showing  work  and  wages  than  the  division  by  age  as  will  be  shown 
in  the  discussion  of  those  tables. 


14 


Table  IV. 
SCHOOL  GRADES. 

Grade  14  yrs.       15  yrs.  16  yrs.  Total  Per  cent 


of  352. 

Third  

1 

1 

.3 

Fourth  

6 

8 

2 

8 

2.3 

Fifth   

!  16 

3 

6 

25 

7.1 

Sixth    

13 

6 

13 

32 

9.1 

Seventh    

24 

14 

20 

58 

16.5 

Eighth  

57 

21 

36 

114 

32.4 

High  School 

1st  year  

22 

29 

31 

82 

23.3 

2nd  year  

9 

18 

27 

7.6 

3rd  year   



5 

5 

1.4 

Total    139  82  131  352 

A  majority  (722%)  of  the  whole  number  left  from  the  last  two 
years  of  the  grade  school  and  the  first  year  of  the  high  school. 

A  comparison  with  the  table  on  page   58,   showing  the  total 
enrollment  of  the  city  by  grades  in  1908,  has  some  value. 

Grades  Boys  Per  cent  Girls  Per   cent 


of  352 

of  352 

3-5 

24 

6.8 

10 

2.8 

f* 

23 

6.5 

9 

2.6 

7  

38 

10.8 

20 

5.7 

8 

21 

6.0 

9 

2.6 

8A  graduates  

41 

11.6 

43 

12.2 

High  School  

73 

20.7 

41 

11.6 

Total    .  220  62.5  132  37.5 


The  per  cents  here  show  a  larger  number  of  boys  than  of  girls 
leaving  at  all  points  except  at  the  completion  of  the  grades.  The 
proportion  bears  out  the  generally  accepted  fact  that  girls  fit  more 
easily  into  the  school  routine  than  boys  and  drop  out  less  readily 
before  completing  a  recognized  unit  of  the  school  course. 

15 


Table  V. 


Normal 

Boys   ..... 

77 

35.0 

Girls   ..... 

53 

40.2 

Total 

%    of   . 

352 

RETARDATION. 
Over  age  (retarded) 


68 


yr.  2  yrs.  3  yrs.    4  yrs.    5  yrs.     Total. 
31         24  82  133 

60.5 


Under  age  (lyr.) 


35 


16 


11 


103         47         35 
29.3      13.3        9.9 


15         3 
4.3        .9 


70 
53 
203 


10 
4.5 
9 
6.8 


Summary  : 

Total    normal    ................................................................................................  130 

Total  over-age  ................................................................................................  203 

Total  under-age  ..................  .  ......................................................................  19 


36.9%  of  352. 

57.7%  of  352. 

5.4%  of  352. 


Although  203,  or  57.7%,  of  the  whole  number  of  boys  and  girls 
are  found  to  be  retarded,  103,  or  slightly  more  than  one  half  of  this 
retarded  group  are  only  one  year  over-age.  This  leaves  100,  or 
28.4%,  of  the  352  children  who  are  retarded  two  years  or  more. 

The  girls  make  a  better  scholastic  showing  than  the  boys,  a 
smaller  proportion  being  retarded  and  a  larger  proportion  being 
one  year  in  advance  of  the  normal  grade. 

The  question  arises  here,  are  the  children  foreign  born  parents 
more  often  retarded  than  the  children  of  American  parents?  The 
following  figures  would  seem  to  indicate  an  affirmative  answer. 


One  parent  foreign-born   

Both  parents   foreign-born   ... 
Parents    American    born    


Over  age 
..  19 


65 


Per  cent 

of  352 

5.4 

33.8 

18.5 


Under  age 


4 

4 

11 


Per  cent 

of  352 

1.1 

1.1 

3.1 


The  attempt  to  estimate  the  causes  of  retardation  leads  to  the 
following  tabulation : 

Change  of  School                    Sickness  Absence  Due  to  Indlffer-  Out  to  Earn  Lack  of  Difficulty 

City  Parochial  Country  Old  Gauntry  Child   Family          encc  of  Parent              Money  Interest  IB  Learning 

3         9           5             8              22       12                    17                          13  73            41 

Per  cent  of  352    7.1                             9.7                      4.8                        3.7  20.7           II. 7 

The  following  comments  by  parents  and  children  supplement  the  tabulation: 
"We  were  put  back  two  grades  when  we  moved  in  from  Osseo;  and  then  we 
were  kept  back  when  we  moved  from  one  school  to  another  here  in  town." 
' '  Public  school  was  harder  than  the  Sisters '  School  and  different.     We  didn  't 


16 


have  the  same  things.     I  hated  to  go  and  stayed  out  all  I  could." 

"I  got  tired  of  going  to  school.  I  have  thought  about  it  a  lot,  and  I  think 
I  felt  that  way  because  I  lost  so  much  schooling  when  my  mother  was  sick.  When 
she  felt  bad,  she  didn't  care  whether  I  went  to  school  or  not,  and  I  was  young 
enough  to  think  it  was  a  fine  thing  to  be  able  to  stay  out." 

"I  thought  when  he  got  older  maybe  he  could  learn  more.  It  didn't  seem 
to  make  any  difference  what  he  studied  or  who  his  teacher  was,  he  never  could 
learn." 


Table  VI. 


RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  LEAVING  SCHOOL. 


Parent 


Child 


Refused 

For 

further 

specialized 

education 

education 

One  parent 

foreign  born  .. 

4 

1               25 

Both  parents 

ofreign  born  . 

13 

7             102 

6.4 

3.4             50.3 

Parents  Ameri- 
can  born   2  5  65 

1.8  4.5  58.0 

Total   19  13  192 

Per  cent  of  352  5.4  3.7  54.5 


Both 

——•> 

Necessity     Indifference 


61 
30.1 

36 
32.1 

101 

28.7 


20 

9.8 

4 
3.6 

27 

7.7 


A  sifting  of  all  information  as  to  why  the  child  left  school  result- 
ed in  placing  the  burden  of  responsibility  clearly  upon  the  parent 
or  child  in  224  families,  63.6%  of  the  352.  In  the  remaining  128  fam- 
ilies, no  such  division  of  responsibility  was  apparent.  It  was  pos- 
sible, however,  to  distinguish  between  those  parents  and  children 
whose  decision  seemed  determined  by  necessity,  due  either  to  the 
child's  ill  health  or  to  an  insufficient  family  income,  and  those  who 
were  merely  indifferent  to  further  education. 

The  nineteen  parents  who  were  unwilling  to  keep  the  child 
longer  in  school,  were  those  whose  ideal  of  education  for  the  child 
had  been  fulfilled.  It  will  be  seen  that  a  larger  proportion  of  the 
total  foreign  born  than  of  the  American  born  parents  are  repre- 
sented in  this  group ;  this  is  true  also  in  the  group  indifferent  to 
further  education.  On  the  other  hand,  the  number  of  parents  who 
gave  the  child  specialized  instruction  as  a  preparation  for  work 
shows  a  larger  proportion  of  American  than  of  foreign  born  par- 
ents. Moreover,  a  higher  percentage  of  Americans  are  influenced 


17 


by  necessity;  and  American  children  lead  the  procession  of  those 
who  determine  for  themselves  whether  they  shall  leave  school. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  more  than  half  the  whole  number  of 
children  left  at  their  own  sweet  will.  The  parents  of  these  chil- 
dren in  some  instances  opposed  their  leaving  school;  but  many 
assumed  that  the  fact  that  the  child  did  not  want  to  continue  in 
school  was  ample  proof  that  he  would  gain  nothing  by  staying. 
Such  remarks  as  the  following  are  typical  of  this  attitude. 

"We  wanted  him  to  go  to  high  school  anyway  a  year;  but  he  didn't  want 
to,  and  it 's  no  use  trying  to  force  a  boy  to  go  to  school. ' ' 

"What  is  the  use  of  trying  to  give  children  an  education  when  they  won't 
have  it?" 

Remarks  representative  of  the  parents'  educational  ideal  for  the 
child  are  as  follows : 

"I  think  if  children  can  come  through  the  grade  school  by  the  time  they  are 
fourteen  or  fifteen,  it  is  a  good  thing;  but  they  ought  not  to  stay  longer  if  they 
have  not  gotten  through  by  then.  Of  course  education  is  a  good  thing,  and  some 
who  are  smart  and  can  afford  it  ought  to  go  to  the  University.  But  for  work- 
ingmen's  children  a  trade  is  better  than  education  after  the  grade  school.  Chil- 
dren ought  to  take  care  of  themselves  after  they  are  fifteen,  as  they  do  in  the 
old  country  after  they  are  confirmed." 

"Of  course  the  children  need  more  education  than  me  and  my  husband 
had.  We  got  along  all  right;  but  nowadays  the  children  have  to  know  more.  I 
am  going  to  send  the  younger  boys  until  they  get  confirmed." 

"I  was  glad  when  they  got  old  enough  to  go  to  work." 

"A  girl  only  needs  enough  money  to  keep  her  in  clothes  anyway.  It  is 
different  with  a  boy.  He  needs  more  education,  because  he  has  to  go  farther. 
If  the  girls  learn  sewing  or  something  like  that  I  think  it  is  different." 

"If  you  send  a  girl  to  high  school,  maybe  she  will  marry  soon  after  leaving, 
and  you  don't  get  any  good  out  of  her." 

' '  Mary  wanted  to  go  to  high  school  awful  bad,  but  I  thought  this  way,  we 
couldn't  afford  it.  It  costs  a  good  deal  to  keep  a  child  in  school." 

' '  Parents  must  be  foolish  that  would  take  their  children  out  of  school  before 
they  have  finished  the  grades. ' ' 

1 '  The  two  boys  finished  the  grade  school  when  they  were  thirteen,  and  we  were 
very  anxious  that  they  go  through  high  school.  We  would  have  made  sacrifices 
to  put  them  both  through  high  school,  if  it  had  been  necessary  to  do  so ;  but  they 
both  left  before  they  had  been  there  a  year.  They  lost  all  interest  and  I  could 
see  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  go  on  in  that  way." 

"It  was  our  disgrace  to  have  the  children  stop  their  school." 

"The  boy  stuttered  so  that  he  was  growing  stubborn  and  horrid.  I  took  him 
out  to  save  him  any  more  embarrassment. ' ' 

"We  couldn't  keep  George  in  school.  It  wasn't  the  books  that  we  minded 
so  much  as  the  clothes.  He  would  have  to  be  dressed  good  to  go  to  school. ' ' 

' '  I  would  as  soon  think  of  starving  the  children  as  cutting  them  off  from  any 
education  we  could  afford  to  give  them. ' ' 

"I  tell  you  that  boy  was  so  smart  he  didn't  need  to  go  to  high  school." 

"I  feel  sorry  that  the  school  hasn't  learned  the  value  of  men  teachers  above 
a  certain  grade,  say  the  sixth.  These  children  need  men,  and  good  men,  too;  and 
they  make  a  great  mistake  by  not  having  them  in  the  grades." 

18 


Table  VII. 


§ 


^ 

\ 


V, 

H 


1 


19 


This  table  classifies  the  reasons  for  leaving  school  according 
to  the  statements  made  by  parent  and  child.  The  "Had  to  go  to 
work"  group  represents  the  statement  of  the  parent;  when  the 
child  alone  felt  the  need  of  earning  money,  he  is  classified  under 
"Child's  desire  to  earn  money."  In  the  group  of  those  who  dis- 
liked or  were  not  interested  in  school  are  those  who  were  "too  big" 
for  their  grade,  those  who  "could  not  learn,"  those,  who,  being 
"hand-minded,"  were  indifferent  to  instruction  from  books,  and 
boys  who  rebelled  against  the  inactive  life  of  the  school  room.  The 
classification  "Further  public  school  not  worth  while"  brings  to 
the  front  the  vocational  motive  of  both  parent  and  child  in  educa- 
tion. Of  this  group  many  took  special  courses  after  leaving  school, 
others  went  directly  to  work  in  the  belief  that  "practical  experi- 
ence is  better  than  schooling." 

The  incomes  given  represent  the  combined  earnings  of  all  mem- 
bers of  the  family  at  the  time  the  child  left  school.  The  classifica- 
tion "independent  small  income"  covers  such  income  as  that  from 
a  small  confectionery,  from  the  rental  of  rooms,  a  small  inherited 
income,  or  the  earnings  of  a  junk  peddler.  "Independent  large  in- 
come" is  used  to  classify  the  income  from  a  prosperous  bakery  or 
grocery,  and  the  earnings  of  such  a  business  as  bridge  and  pile 
contracting.  It  was  difficult  to  estimate  the  monthly  average  of 
such  incomes. 

The  graphic  form  of  the  table  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
majority  of  fourteen  year  children  are  in  the  low  income  divisions 
of  the  "Had  to  go  to  work"  group,  while  the  majority  of  the  six- 
teen year  old  children  are  found  in  the  higher  income  divisions  of 
the  "Disliked  or  not  interested  in  school"  group. 

Representative  remarks  on  reasons  for  leaving  school  are 
quoted : 


TO  EARN  MONEY. 

"I  had  to  leave,  but  that  wasn't  the  only  reason.  I  had  an  idea  in  my  head 
that  I  wanted  to  get  out  and  earn  money." 

"I  was  growing  up  to  be  a  young  lady,  and  I  wanted  clothes  that  were  reas- 
onable. I  intended  to  go  back  after  I  had  earned  some  money.'7 

"I  could  have  stayed  in  school  longer,  but  you  don't  like  to  ask  your  father 
for  all  the  things  that  you  need  in  high  school.  You  had  to  have  so  many  more 
clothes  than  you  need  if  you  go  to  Business  College.  You  like  to  dress  like  the 
girls  do  in  high  school,  or  else  you  hate  to  go." 


HAD  TO  GO  TO  WORK. 
BOY. 

* '  There  are  nine  of  us  children  and  I  am  the  oldest  so  I  had  to  help  my 
father.     I  worked  as  telegraph  messenger  after  school  till  about  11  o'clock  at 

20 


night.     I  was  so  tired  every  day  in  school  that  I  couldn't  learn  much.     At  last 
I  gave  up  trying  to  get  through  the  grades." 

' '  I  had  to  leave  on  account  of  my  folks  was  down  and  out. ' ' 


GIEL. 

"I  liked  high  school  and  wished  I  could  keep  on  with  it,  but  my  two  sisters 
were  working  to  support  the  family  and  I  had  to  do  something  to  help.  At  the 
time  I  probably  did  not  say  that  I  had  to  leave,  but  that  was  the  real  reason. 
I  don 't  believe  anyone  leaves  school  because  they  want  to.  They  are  just  ashamed 
to  give  the  true  reason. ' ' 


DISLIKED  OR  NOT  INTERESTED  IN  SCHOOL. 
BOYS. 

' '  I  wouldn  't  go  to  school  any  longer.     No  one  could  make  me. ' ' 

"I  merely  quit  because  most  of  my  friends  were  quitting." 

"I  did  not  like  the  way  they  did  things  in  school.  I  don't  have  anything 
to  do  with  anything  that  looks  like  it  either.  I  haven't  had  anything  to  do  with 
school  since  I  left.  They  just  put  me  out  bodily." 

i  l  The  reason  that  I  left  high  school  was  that  there  were  too  many  dry  studies 
altogether. ' ' 

' '  I  got  disgusted  with  school  and  wanted  to  work.  The  trouble  with  me  was 
that  I  didn't  take  enough  interest  and  wouldn't  study.  I  hadn't  no  more  than 
quit  when  I  wished  I  was  back." 

t '  I  was  tired  going  to  school  and  I  wanted  to  get  out  sunny  days. ' ' 

"I  didn't  like  the  idea  of  sitting  still  in  school  all  day  and  chewing  the  rag 
with  the  teacher." 

' '  If  you  gave  John  hammer  and  nails  and  set  him  to  doing  something,  he  was 
all  right.  He  told  me  when  manual  training  was  discontinued  in  his  grade  that 
there  was  nothing  to  stay  in  school  for.  His  teacher  helped  me  get  a  permit  for 
him."  (Mother  a  widow.) 

' '  The  boy  didn  't  want  to  stay  in  school.  Goodness  only  knows  we  tried  hard 
enough  to  make  him.  It  wasn't  because  he  was  not  good  in  his  work;  and  it  was 
not  because  he  was  not  interested  in  learning  things,  because  all  my  children  are 
anxious  to  learn.  I  know  now  that  he  would  have  been  interested  in  the  Agri- 
cultural School,  but  I  was  always  talking  Dentist  to  him  then." 

"His  teacher  from  the  grade  school  advised  him  to  take  the  Commercial 
Course  in  high  school  and  he  did,  but  he  started  wrong.  He  was  of  a  mechan- 
ical turn  of  mind  and  so  he  didn't  like  it.  He  has  often  said  since  that  if  he 
had  been  studying  anything  about  machines  he  would  have  been  crazy  about 
school.  If  the  school  would  keep  in  closer  touch  with  the  boys  and  girls,  it  would 
benefit  the  school  as  well  as  the  boys  and  girls." 


GIRLS. 

"Well,  if  you  want  to  know  the  truth,  I  didn't  care  for  school  at  all.     I 
really  couldn't  bear  to  go.     I  was  awfully  glad  when  I  was  out.     I  didn't  pass 

21 


one  time  and  I  don't  think  the  teachers  care  much  about  you  when  you  are  not 
up  to  grade,  and  they  don't  make  it  very  interesting  for  you.  It  wasn't  that  I 
didn't  want  to  know  anything — I  wanted  to  study,  but  I  was  always  unhappy  in 
school  as  far  back  as  I  can  remember.  Of  course,  I  hated  some  things,  and  it  is 
hard  when  you  are  a  child  to  learn  things  you  haven't  the  least  interest  in.  I 
feel  the  same  way  about  those  things  now. ' ' 

' '  I  never  could  seem  to  learn  very  well.  I  was  a  lot  more  interested  in  keeping 
house.  I  loved  to  stay  at  home  and  do  the  house  work. ' ' 

"I  do  not  think  it  is  important  for  a  girl  to  have  any  more  education  than 
the  8th  grade.  They  have  other  plans,  and  there  isn't  anything  in  school  that 
would  need  to  keep  a  girl  in  school  longer  than  that. ' ' 


TROUBLE  WITH  THE  TEACHER. 

' '  That  teacher  put  me  off  the  track.  I  couldn  't  stand  it  to  go  to  school 
any  longer." 

We  were  certainly  anxious  to  have  him  stay  in  school  and  get  a  good  educa- 
tion; but  it  just  seemed  impossible  to  have  him  stay,  for  he  certainly  did  not  get 
along  with  the  teacher  that  he  had  at  the  last. ' ' 

1  i  I  was  always  having  to  go  to  school  to  see  about  something  about  John,  and 
he  wasn  't  a  bad  boy  either ;  for  he  has  never  been  impudent  to  me  in  all  my  life. 
The  teacher  said  the  last  time,  "It  is  his  refusal  to  do  certain  things  that  I 
cannot  have."  So  he  didn't  go  back  and  he  seemed  to  feel  so  bad  about  it 
that  I  didn't  make  him.  No  one  came  to  see  about  him,  but  I  think  if  they  had 
he  would  have  gone  back  all  right.  I  had  more  trouble  with  him  in  that  one  room 
than  I  did  with  all  my  children  all  through  school." 


FAILURE  TO  PASS. 

'  '  I  couldn 't  pass  in  Grammar.  I  hated  it.  I  think  I  would  hate  it  just  as  bad 
now.  I  think  the  schools  make  a  great  mistake  by  not  passing  a  fellow  when  he 
can  pass  in  all  but  one  subject.  If  you  keep  a  fellow  back,  he  isn't  going  to 
high  school  if  he  is  a  great  big  fellow  with  a  lot  of  little  fellows." 

"I  didn't  pass  from  B  8th.  That  was  mostly  why  I  quit.  I  had  intended  to 
go  to  high  school  but  I  wanted  to  go  with  my  class." 


FURTHER  PUBLIC  SCHOOL  NOT  WORTH  WHILE. 

"When  I  was  in  grade  school  I  enjoyed  it  and  I  worked  hard  there;  but  when 
I  got  to  high  school  there  was  nothing  to  hold  me:  I  was  not  working  to  a 

ose." 

:I  did  not  think  I  could  go  through  the  University,  and  I  do  not  think  a 
fellow  can  get  much  out  of  high  school  unless  he  can  go  on.  The  courses  are  all 
planned  for  the  fellows  who  can  go  on  in  school.  I  was  planning  to  go  into  some 
sort  of  business;  and  if  I  had  thought  any  of  the  work  would  help  me  in  business, 
I  would  have  stayed  all  right." 

•       22 


' '  All  of  us  can 't  be  professional  men  and  we  can 't  afford  to  be  going  to 
school  just  to  be  cultured.  There  is  nothing  practical  in  the  high  school  course, 
especially  in  the  last  two  years.  You  can  get  all  that  will  help  you  at  all  in  busi- 
ness in  the  first  two  years." 

' '  I  wanted  to  take  German  instead  of  Latin  in  the  last  two  years  of  high 
school,  but  they  wouldn't  let  me  do  it  and  graduate.  Now  I  liked  Latin,  but  I 
had  a  position  promised  me  when  I  should  get  through  school  in  which  my  future 
depended  on  my  knowledge  of  German.  Later  the  principal  told  me  that  I  could 
come  back ;  but  it  was  too  late,  for  I  was  already  at  work. ' ' 

John  said,  ' '  Mother,  I  want  to  be  doing  something  that  counts.  That  school 
work  doesn't  half  satisfy  me." 


23 


n 


j, 


aia 


24 


The  graphic  table  presenting  parental  condition  at  the  time  the 
child  left  school  shows  that  there  are  249  families  (including 
"parents  living,"  "father  out  of  work,"  "one  step-parent")  in  which 
the  father  is  a  wage  earner  for  the  family.  In  the  remaining  103 
families,  29.3%  of  the  352,  an  abnormal  condition  existed  result- 
ing from  the  death  of  both  parents,  or  the  death,  divorce,  non-sup- 
port, or  physical  disability  of  the  father.  There  are  represented 
in  this  number  eight  orphans,  seventy-one  widows,  and  twenty- 
five  families  not  supported  by  the  father.  In  nine  of  the  twenty- 
five  families,  the  father  was  permanently  disabled  by  sickness;  in 
five  the  parents  had  been  long  divorced  ;  and  in  eight  the  father  did 
not  assume  the  responsibility  for  the  support  of  the  family,  because 
of  his  drunkenness,  periodical  desertion,  or  the  separation  of  the 
parents.  In  the  three  remaining  families,  two  fathers  were  unable 
to  work  because  of  temporary  illness  ;  and  one  father,  whose  deser- 
tion was  the  cause  of  the  child's  leaving  school,  later  returned  and 
resumed  his  responsibilities. 

Certain  facts  are  brought  to  the  attention  by  the  graphic  form 
of  the  table.  In  the  classifications  of  families  in  which  a  father 
was  not  contributing  to  the  family  income,  the  fourteen-year  old 
children  are  found  to  predominate,  there  being  sixty-five  of  the 
fourteen-year,  fifteen  of  the  fifteen-year,  and  twenty-seven  of  the 
sixteen-year  group  entered  under  the  headings:  'parents  dead/ 
'father  not  able  to  work/  'father  out  of  work/  and  'father  divorced 
or  non-supporting/  In  the  classifications  'parents  living/  'one  step- 
parent/ and  'mother  dead/  the  sixteen-year  group  has  the  largest 
representation. 

A  dividing  line  in  the  table  drawn  between  the  income  divisions 
at  $75  shows  a  total  of  156  (44.3%)  above  the  line  and  196 
(55.7%)  below.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  largest  part  of  the  groups 
classifying  families  abnormal  in  parental  condition  are  included  in 
the  lower  income  divisions  above  the  line,  while  the  groups  con- 
taining the  more  normal  families  are  largely  represented  in  the 
higher  incomes  below  the  line. 


Table  IX. 


Fetmi// 


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25 


This  table  shows  the  sources  of  the  family  income  at  the  time 
the  child  left  school.  The  earnings  of  the  father  and  of  the  older 
children  in  the  family  are  given  separately  and  other  sources  of 
income  such  as  mother's  earnings,  house  rent,  and  roomers  or 
boarders  are  indicated.  The  classification  "other"  additional  in- 
.  come  includes  the  assistance  given  by  friends  or  relatives,  small  in- 
herited sums  of  money,  or  the  income  from  invested  money. 

There  are  107  families  in  which  no  father  was  contributing  to 
the  family  income,  as  shown  in  the  previous  table.  In  this  group, 
too,  are  found  forty-nine  of  the  fifty-five  mothers  who  were  wage 
earners  and  sixty-two  of  the  213  families  in  which  children  were 
earning.  In  thirty-seven  families  the  mother  was  the  only  wage 
earner  for  the  family.  A  small  additional  income  supplements  the 
earnings  in  fifty  of  the  families.  The  aggregate  income  as  shown 
in  Table  8  is  less  than  $75  a  month  for  eighty-six,  or  80.4%  of  the 
107  families,  and  $75  a  month  or  over  in  the  remaining  twenty- 
one  families. 

The  classification  'intermittent  day  labor'  was  used  in  recording 
the  father's  earnings  because,  although  difficult  to  estimate,  the 
amount  thus  earned  seemed  in  every  .instance  insufficient  for  the 
support  of  the  family.  The  average  family  in  this  group  was  eight, 
a  fact  which  may  explain  why  there  was  only  one  mother  earning. 
The  fact  that  in  only  four  of  these  eleven  families  were  there  older 
children  at  work,  and  that  in  none  of  them  was  there  other  addi- 
tional income,  suggests  their  economic  status. 

The  following  figures  apply  to  the  whole  352  families. 

Average  family  5. 7 

Homes   owned   _ 163 

Average  rent  paid  ~ $12.60  a  month 

Average  earnings  of  children  in  the  213  families $48.56  a  month 

At  this  point  it  will  be  interesting  to  study  the  contribution 
to  the  family  income  made  by  the  352  boys  and  girls  of  the  group 
since  they  left  school. 

Twelve  girls  and  four  boys  are  married  and  have  homes  of 
their  own.  Two  boys  are  in  penal  institutions.  Nine  girls  and 
twenty-two  boys  either  have  no  home,  or  have  sought  work  out 
of  the  city  and  are  living  away  from  home.  The  following  figures 
apply  to  the  remaining  111  girls,  and  192  boys: 

Girls     Per  cent  of  Boys  Per  cent 

all  girls.  of  all. 

Number  who  "turn  all  money  in"  to  home  47             35.7  106           48.1 

Number  who  pay  regular  board  at  home  16             12.2  57           23.2 

Total  _ 63  47.9  157  71.3 

Number  who  do  not  pay  board  48  36.5  35  16.2 

Number  saving  money  „ 15  11.4  69  31.1 

Number  boys  and  girls  who  are  the  sole  support 

of  their  mother  or  themselves  24 

26 


The  wage  tables,  showing  the  comparative  earnings  of  boys 
and  girls,  are  the  best  commentary  on  these  figures*  for  they  in- 
dicate that  it  would  be  difficult  for  a  girl  to  save  money  out  of 
her  wages. 


Table  X. 


ANALYSIS  OF  "HAD  TO  GO  TO  WORK"  GROUP. 


wuqe  of 

child 


Tiu.  tuber 
i-n  f  0,tni  |u 


Hornet 


CttYTi 
and 


chfn 


{•k 


33 


/I 


'/* 


ty 


fo 


totals 


47 


ft 


SO 


The  following  points  may  be  noted  in  the  make-up  of  the  group : 
a.  74,  or  59.2%  of  the  group  (125),  left  school  before  completing 
the  grades;  b.  51,  or  71.8%  of  the  total  number  of  widows  are 
represented  in  the  group ;  c.  34,  or  27.2%  of  the  125  families,  owned 
their  own  homes. 

Since  this  group  is  determined  from  the  parent's  statement,  some 
whose  circumstances  would  seem  to  warrant  it  are  not  included 
here,  notably  the  children  of  the  twenty  widows  represented  in 
other  groups  of  the  "Reasons  for  Leaving"  table.  Some  also  are 
placed  in  this  group  on  the  parent's  statement  who  would  not 
otherwise  have  been  included. 

Of  the  156  families  represented  in  Table  8  as  having  an  aggre- 
gate income  of  less  than  $75  a  month,  only  75,  or  48.1%,  are  found 
in  this  group.  But  of  the  196  having  an  income  of  more  than  $75 
a  month,  50,  or  25.5%,  are  found  here.  These  figures  emphasize 
the  fact  that  real  economic  pressures  did  not  exist  in  all  of  the 
families  in  which  the  parent  said  that  the  child  had  to  leave  school. 


27 


Table  XL 

Education  lifter    Ledvi.no  - 


PA 

Jx, 

ScWl 

Qusme« 

ne.  . 

CWrejfW- 
x  _* 

y.wca 

Ra^fl-V 

Wu.*'C 
ft-nd 

fe!sr 

£&/ 

QWe 

£'Sh 

^CnOc 

fe;i 

COU.YSC 

Scf,0of 

ence  C«vnT 

Cours^ 

fgrnce 

c/rnmotic 

^ 

E 

/ 

3 

/ 

/ 

J 

HcUfo 
^»to  worK 

/ 

/ 

// 

10 

5 

3" 

J 

3? 

CUdi  desire 
f«  ear?)  IWOTVU 

y 

/ 

6 

2 

2 

^ 

yr 

Kept, 
focal/on  w0rK 

1 

2 

d* 

Dislike^  W  Tiof 
iTiferesfed  n» 

5che»  / 

y 

^ 

// 

j~ 

3 

/ 

^ 

« 

9-(? 

T*»^t>le  >fiH 

thtt  feather 

/ 

•3 

/ 

5- 

Failure  fo 
pats 

/ 

/ 

PHY!  tat"  public 
Sckol  noT  . 
Worth  tf'/iile 

c 

23 

3. 

I 

3 

• 

2 

/  • 

,?y 

T.M 

2 

^ 

Hi 

^j 

1 

10 

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2 

;/ 

3 

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fercejjf 
flf  3*2, 

f-J 

\ 

17 

6 

//•/ 

^./ 

1 

Of  the  135  represented  in  this  table,  111,  or  31.6%  of  the  whole 
group  (352),  voluntarily  returned  to  grade  or  high  school  for 
further  work,  or  they  paid  for  instruction  given  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
or  by  a  commercial  institution.  The  24  not  included  in  this  number 
were  required  to  attend  public  evening  school  by  the  terms  of  their 
Employment  Certificate,  but  took  no  further  work. 

The  reasons  for  leaving  school  are  given  here,  since  it  is  of 
interest  to  know  the  relation  existing  between  the  number  repre- 
sented in  this  table  and  the  total  in  each  group  of  the  Reasons 
For  Leaving  table.  The  tabulation  for  those  who  voluntarily  took 
further  education  is  as  follows : 


Total  in 

Number  who 

%of 

group 

took  further 

total 

education 

in  group 

Further  public  school  not  worth  while 

50 

34 

68.0 

Kept  vacsition  work 

9 

5 

55.1 

Child  's   desire   to   earn,   money 

29 

14 

49.0 

Disliked  or  not  interested  in  school  . 

104 

27 

24.3 

Had   to    ffo   to   work                       

125 

21 

16.3 

Ill  health                           

20 

6 

30.0 

•Trouble  with  teacher  ... 

...  11 

4 

36.4 

ESTIMATED   AMOUNT   PAID   OUT   BY   THOSE   WHO    TOOK   BUSINESS 

COURSES— $4425.00. 

(The  cost  for  each  course  is  counted  as  $75). 
28 


COMMENTS  BY  PARENTS  AND  CHILDREN: 


"I  wanted  to  be  more  educated  and  I  thought  I  would  take  up  work  in  even- 
ing school.  I  did  learn  some  things  I  had  forgotten  about,  like  fractions;  but  it 
was  too  hard  on  the  nerves  after  working  all  day  so  I  gave  it  up." 

"I  went  to  evening  school  several  winters.  I  had  about  the  same  work  all  the 
time,  but  at  least  it  kept  me  from  forgetting  what  I  had  learned  before  I  left 
school. ' ' 

' '  John  was  supposed  to  be  going  to  school,  and  he  did  start ;  but  of  course  he 
never  finished. ' ' 

"John  started  to  night  school,  but  he  could  not  make  it.  He  was  too  tired, 
and  he  did  not  like  it. ' ' 

' '  I  always  thought  I  would  go  to  evening  school,  but  I  never  seemed  to  feel 
like  it  when  I  got  through  work." 

"I  started  in  to  take  an  evening  course,  but  you  know  how  it  is.  I  was 
tired  after  I  had  worked  all  day,  and  the  first  thing  I  knew  some  one  was  whist- 
ling outside  my  window." 

"I  wouldn't  be  doing  factory  work  now  if  I  had  gone  on  to  High  School." 

' '  We  had  always  had  dreams  of  the  children  doing  nice  work ;  and  when 
Mary  could  not  get  a  good  position  because  she  did  not  have  enough  education, 
it  made  me  feel  terrible." 

"The  thing  that  bothers  me  more  now  is  that  John  cannot  get  any  farther 
unless  he  had  some  more  education.  He  needs  more  education  to  be  worth  what 
he  has  to  have  to  earn  a  living.  He  asked  for  more  money  where  he  is  working 
because  he  needs  it;  but  I  do  not  think  he  is  worth  it." 

' '  I  have  always  thought  if  I  had  more  education  it  would  be  easier  to  find 
something  to  do." 

"I  took  all  the  things  in  evening  school  that  I  saw  I  needed  after  I  had 
been  at  work  a  long  time.  I  saw,  too,  that  I  could  never  get  ahead  there  or  any- 
where else  probably,  unless  I  had  some  more  education." 

' '  I  would  be  a  much  better  stenographer  to-day  if  I  had  more  general  educa- 
tion and  I  could  earn  $65  a  month  easily.  I  have  had  one  such  position,  but  I 
couldn't  keep  it  because  I  didn't  know  enough." 

"I'd  give  anything  now  if  I  had  a  good  education.  In  the  work  that  I  am  in 
now  I  realize  that  I  can  never  get  up  as  high  as  I  want  to  unless  I  can  take  up 
more  education.  All  the  men  who  have  taken  up  travelling  salesmanship  and 
been  successful  have  had  a  better  education  than  I  have.  All  the  fellows  know 
that  they  cannot  expect  to  make  good  unless  they  have  more  education." 


TABLE  XII. 


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31 


From  these  tables  we  find  the  boys  and  girls  distributed  among 
the  gainful  occupations  as  follows: 

1907-8  1912 

.6%    AGRICULTURE 3% 

.3        PROFESSIONAL    SERVICE.... 2.8 

7.9       DOMESTIC  AND  PERSONAL  SERVICE 14.3 

65.3       TRADE  AND  TRANSPORTATION...™ 54.8 

24.3       MANUFACTURING  AND  MECHANICAL 2 7.2 

.6  MISCELLANEOUS .3 


The  large  gain  in  the  "Domestic  and  Personal  Service"  in  1912 
is  an  interesting  thing  to  note.  The  increase  in  number  seems  to 
have  been  drawn  from  the  Non-Graduate  children. 

Fifteen  different  trades  in  the  beginning  are  to  be  contrasted 
with  twenty-eight  in  1912. 


OCCUPATIONS  AT  STARTING  WORK. 


AGRICULTURAL  PURSUITS:  ,    ; 

Boys. 
Non.      Grad.       H.  S. 

Farm  Hand  1 

Farmer  „.  1 


Girls. 
Non.     Grad.     II.  S. 


Total 
1 
1 


1    (2) 


PROFESSIONAL  SERVICE: 
Actor    ................................................ 


(1) 


DOMESTIC  AND  PERSONAL  PURSUITS 


Non. 


Boys. 
Grad. 


Nurse  maid 
House  work 
House  work  at  home 
Laundry  work 
Bell  Boy  _______ 

Elevator  boy 

Waiter  ............................................. 

Laborers  (a)  ........................... 

Hairdressing 


H.  S. 


Girls. 
Non.     Grad.     H.  S. 

1  ...  1 
111 
212 

2  1 


3    (12)      7 


4   (16) 


Total 
2 
3 
5 
3 
2 
2 
1 
7 


28 


32 


TEADE  AND  TEANSPOETATION : 


Errands  _.... 

15 

16 

12 

0 

14 

4\m 

o 

o7 

Office  boy  or  girl  

1 

1 

10 

2 

14 

Cash  .. 

1 

4 

81 

MO 

— 

1 

Zo 

Stock  

4 

1 

4 

4. 

9                   1 

"i  A 

TC 

M                                      1 

10 

Bundle  boy  or  girl  

.     2 

... 

1 

1 

2             1 

7 

Soda  Fountain  

1 

1 

... 

... 

2 

Driver  (b)  ..._  

,     8 

1 

4 

... 

... 

13 

Ass't  shipping  clerk  

2 

... 

3 

... 

5 

Clerical  office  

3 

2 

15 

PJ 

6Q 

j.ft 

Telephone   operator   

O 

4 

if 

5             3 

12 

Sales    clerk    

3 

... 

1 

5 

6 

15 

Cashier    

... 

_. 

... 

2 

2 

4 

Stenographer   (c)   

... 

™ 

2 

1 

5             8 

16 

Book-keeper  

... 

~ 

1 

... 

... 

1 

City  salesman  .... 

1 

i 

53  26  55  (134)  34  30  32   (96)         230 


MANUFACTUEING  AND  MECHANICAL  PUESUITS : 

Misc.  factory  work  315  4  423  49 

Machine  operator  _ 11  ...  21             ...  5 

Laboratory  helper 1            ...  ...  ...            ...            ...  1 

Stationary  fireman  ...  1  ...            ...            ...  1 

Automobile  mechanic  ..- ...  2  ...             ...             ...  2 

Whip  maker  1             ...  ...  ...  1 

Baker „.     2            ...  ...              2 

Tinner  2             ...  ...  ...             ...             ...  2 

Machinist  3             ...  1  ...                           ...  4 

Iron-worker 1             ...  1  ...                           ...  2 

Carpenter  ...  1  ...            ...            ...  1 

Brick   layer   ...  1  1 

Printer    1             3  ...  4 

Butcher  1  ...  1 

Electric  worker  ...  2  ...             ...             ...  2 

Plumber   1             ...  ...  1 

Painter  &  paper  hanger     1             ...  ...  ...             ...             ...  1 

Jeweler  1            ...  ...  ...            ...            ...  1 

Milliner  ...  222  6 

Dressmaker ...  ...  ...             2             ...  2 

46           10             13    (69)     875   (20)  89 
33 


MISCELLANEOUS:  ,^_  .  "  • J™g  -."  , 

Boys.  Girls. 

Non.      Grad.  H.  S.  Non.  Grad.  H.  S.  Total 

Bunning  Merry- go-Bound     ...             1  ...               _.             ._  _.  1 

Miscellaneous  jobs  1  _               _.             _  „  1 

2  ...   (2)       ...  2 

352 

(a)  Fourteen  years. 

(b)  Only    one    sixteen    years    old. 

(c)  All  sixteen  years  old. 

Just  at  this  point  it  will  be  interesting  to  note  the  occupations 
of  all  the  boys  and  girls  out  of  school  on  labor  permits  on  Febru- 
ary fifteenth  of  this  year  (1913.) 

GIBLS,  152. 
Box   making  5 

•"*     O 

Bundling : 3 

Cookies,  Icing  - _ _ 3 

packing    6 

Crapping    .„  4 

Cashier  8 

Candy,  dipping  ~  3 

packing    '. - 5 

Clerking  - - - 12 

Errands    .._ — 1 

Housework  „ ~ _  4 

Labelling   _ 2 

Laundry,  folding - 2 

ironing   ...  ~ - - ~ —  1 

snaking    .  - - - - —  9 

Mechanic's  helper   — 5 

Millinery  apprentice  

Office  woi*lr  ,...«. —...  3 

Picking  seeds  ~ 

Bunning   cash   — 55 

Silver  custodian  

Stock  clerk  ~ -  4 

Telephone  operator   

Waitress    ~_ _ - -  2 

34 


BOYS,  271. 

Bell  hop  2 

Box   making   — 4 

Bundling 4 

Cashier   - - -  1 

Clerking  - 10 

T)T*ivvn  & »- „..«*•    8 

Mechanic's    Helpers    -~ .61 

IVt"  f*8S6  n  £T6rs  — — ,...««47 

Office  work  - 22 

Eunning   cash -••  4 

Rivet   heating  - —  3 

Eunning   errands    56 

Special  delivery  - 28 

Stock   clerk  - - 7. 

Tobacco  stripping  - 1 

Trucking    -  * 

Typesetting   - 2 


Usher 


1 


Waiter -  l 

Water   carriers   _ - 8 


OCCUPATIONS  IN  1912. 

AGRICULTURAL  PUESUITS: 

Boys.  Girls. 

Non.      Grad.       H.  S.          Non.    Grad.     H.  S.  Total 

Horse   dealer  1 


(1) 


PROFESSIONAL  SEE  VICE : 


Newspaper  reporter  1 

Y.  M.  C.  A.  assistant 1 

Dancing    teacher    1 

Music  teacher  

Stage 1211  5 

1  3  2  (6)       1  2  ...  (3)  9 


35 


DOMESTIC  AND  PEESONAL  SERVICE: 

Laundry  work  1  1               ...               2             ...             ...                      4 

House  work  2                                                   2 

House  work  at  home  728                     17 

Elevator  man   3  1 

Paving  work 3 

Laborers    13  1               2                                                                 16 

Ushers  1                       1 

Hair  dresser  1214 

20  2                3    (25)   12             4           10    (26)           51 


TEADE  AND   TEANSPOETATION : 


Special   delivery   

... 

1 

... 

1 

ShirjDer 

6 

2 

2 

10 

ri: 

Driver 

11 

o 

3 

I             I             1 

16 

Collector  

1 

1 

Demonstrator 

1 

1 

Telephone   operator   

... 

... 

4             2 

6 

Eunning  soda  fountain  ... 

... 

... 

1 

... 

1 

Stock    clerk    

2 

2 

1 

5 

Sales  clerk  

4 

p 

934 

22 

Cashier 

2             1 

3 

Stenographer  

2 

12           10 

24 

Book-keeper 

2 

6 

1             1 

10 

Wholesale  order  clerk  

3 

1 

2 

6 

Travelling  salesman  

1 

„, 

1 

... 

2 

City  salesman  

2 

4 

... 

6 

Inspector    

2 

2 

Office  clerks,  Bank  

... 

4 

... 

4 

Eailroad  ... 

... 

7 

1             1 

9 

Broker    

... 

2 

... 

2 

Other    

9 

3 

8 

789 

44 

Telegraph  operator  

1 

... 

1 

Assistant  buyer  

1 

1 

1 

3 

Assistant  manager  

... 

... 

1 

1 

2 

Own  business  _.. 

1 

1 

3 

... 

5 

Eailroad    work    

4 

2 

1 

7 

45  18  51  (114)  22  30  27    (79)         193 

36 


MISCELLANEOUS : 

Boys.  Girls. 

Non.      Grad.       H.  S.  Non.     Grad.     H.  S.  Total 

Prostitute    (a)    ...  ...  1  ...  1 

(a)     A  fourteen  year  old  girl  who  began  as  a  messenger.  352 


MANUFACTURING  AND  MECHANICAL  PURSUITS: 


Factory  work 

Machine    operator    

2 

... 

1 

512                     11 

General  work  

8 

1 

6             4                                    19 

Gold  weigher 

1                       1 

... 

Milliner                         

2.1                       3 

Dressmaker  

I 

1                                      1 

Stationary  fireman  

1 

1 

Running  theatre  lantern 

1 

... 

1 

Picture  framer  

1 

... 

1 

Railroad  shop  helper  

1 

... 

1 

Mechanic    

2 

... 

2 

4 

Machinist  

2 

1 

1 

4 

Installing  telephones  .  — 

... 

... 

1 

1 

Electricians    ...„  

4 

... 

... 

4 

Boiler    maker    

1 

... 

... 

1 

Plumber   

1 

.„ 

1 

Steam    fitter    __  

1 

1 

2 

Shop  drafter  

1 

1 

Pattern  maker  

1 

._ 

1 

Surveying    crew    worker 

1 

1 

2 

Photographer  

... 

1 

1 

Glass  beveller  _._  

1 

... 

1 

Jeweller    

1 

3 

4 

Mechanical  dentist  

1 

1 

2 

Printer 

3 

6 

3 

12 

Carpenter  

2 

2 

Iron  worker 

1 

1 

Sign  painter  

1 

1 

2 

Painter  &  paper  hanger 

1 

... 

1 

Whip   maker 

1 

1 

Butcher  _.  . 

1 

1 

2 

Tinner  _  

2 

2 

Brick   layer 

1 

1 

Baker    _  

1 

1 

Maltster 

1 

1 

Beer  bottler  ... 

1 

2 

3 

38  19  17   (74)   13  6  4   (23)          97 

37 


In  "Domestic  and  Personal  Service,"  two  of  the  High  School 
boys  listed  were  fourteen  years  of  age.  They  are  found  in  the  same 
classification  in  1912. 

In  "Trade  and  Transportation"  eleven  of  the  seventeen  drivers 
are  fourteen  years  old.  Only  four  of  the  total  number  were  High 
School  boys  and  these  were  automobile  truck  drivers. 

Thirty-eight  of  the  forty-four  errand  boys  were  in  the  four- 
teen-year group. 

No  High  School  boys  ''ran  cash,"  but  one  High  School  girl 
worked  as  cash  girl. 

Of  the  four  stock  clerks,  three  were  sixteen  years  of  age.  These 
are  now,  in  1912,  head  stock  clerks. 

In  "Clerical  Office"  (1907-8),  we  found  only  three  fourteen- 
year  girls  out  of  seventeen,  and  each  of  these  had  some  business 
training. 

"Salesclerks"  were  from  the  fourteen-year  group  and  represent 
small  stores. 

"Office  boy  or  girl"  represents  the  bottom  of  the  ladder  in  any 
business  system,  and  many  of  the  children  are  still  in  the  office  in 
which  they  started. 

"Office  clerks"  work  was  about  evenly  divided  among  the  age 
groups. 


BOYS  IN  TRADE. 

In  "Manufacturing  and  Mechanical  Pursuits"  the  question  of 
trades  presents  itself.  The  figures  for  boys  are  given. 

Total  number  in  trades  at  some  time  from  1907  to  1912  ...64 

Number  that  "did  not  stick" „ _ 13 

Number  remaining  in  trade  in  1912 51 

Number  different  trades  entered  28 

The  thirteen  that  dropped  out  of  the  trades  left  for  such  reasons 
as;  "didn't  like  it  and  wasn't  getting  along  very  well,"  "had  a 
chewing  match  with  the  superintendent  and  quit,"  "quit  for  more 
money  and  have  been  sorry  ever  since."  More  than  one  boy  left  a 
good  place  without  realizing  how  hard  it  would  be  to  find  the  same 
work  again. 

There  were  many  mechanically  minded  boys,  however,  who 
Avorked  against  great  odds  in  order  to  get  into  a  trade.  In  answer 
to  questions  which  might  throw  light  on  the  subject  of  the  child's 
aptitudes,  it  was  found  that  in  forty-nine  cases  the  boys  knew  what 
they  wanted  and  looked  consistently  for  the  opportunity  to  carry 
out  their  aim.  The  efforts  of  some  to  enter  a  trade  found  imme- 
diate reward  while  others  were  from  seven  months  to  four  years 
getting  into  trades. 

38 


34  boys  secured  entrance  into  a  trade  through  their  own  efforts ; 
32  were  helped  into  trades  by  their  family  or  friends; 
2  were  unsuccessful  in  finding  a  trade. 

Many  of  the  boys  feel  very  bitter  about  the  many  trials  they 
had  to  undergo  before  getting  the  long  looked  for  opportunity. 
"A  fellow  has  to  have  some  friends  to  help  him  in  order  to  get  a 
chance  at  a  trade."  One  mother  said,  "It  was  all  right  when  my 
youngest  boy  wanted  to  learn  a  trade, because  I  had  a  friend  who 

helped  him  in;  but  I  didn't  know  anyone  to  get  to  help  G 

along,  and  he  hasn't  seemed  to  have  a  ghost  of  a  chance  at  the 
machinist's  trade  and  the  boy  can't  ever  think  of  anything  else." 

The  non-graduate  boys  and  even  many  of  the  graduate  boys  feel 
that,  "if  a  fellow  has  no  more  education  than  I  have,  the  best  thing 
he  can  do  is  to  learn  a  trade." 

One  boy  tells  his  experience  in  getting  into  a  trade  as  follows : 
"I  was  sent  on  an  errand  and  saw  a  sign  in  the  window,  'Press  Feeder 
Wanted ! '  I  didn  't  know  what  a  press  looked  like ;  but  the  pay  and  the  hours 
seemed  better  than  where  I  was  working,  so  I  took  the  job.  After  a  while  I  de- 
cided that  a  press  feeder  was  just  a  machine  and  I  wanted  to  learn  the  trade. 
I  have  had  good  luck  so  far.  I  have  never  been  fired,  but  I  have  had  a  good  many 
things  to  buck,  for  the  firms  I  worked  for  kept  going  out  of  business.  But  you 
just  have  to  keep  a-climbing  if  you  want  to  get  anywhere." 

Another  says  of  his  experience,  "I  guess  it  was  the  first  place  I  struck  when 
I  was  looking  for  a  job;  but  I  told  them  when  I  went  there  that  I  wanted  to 
learn  a  trade/They  didn't  tell  me  that  there  was  no  trade  to  learn  there.  But 
the  first  chance  I  got  I  went  around  the  factory  at  noon  time.  I  saw  right  off 
that  there  wouldn't  be  any  chance  to  learn  anything  there.  All  the  materials 
were  shipped  in  from  out  of  the  city  and  all  we  did  was  to  put  the  finishing  touches 
on.  So  I  quit. ' ' 


Table  XIV. 

N11MRFR     OF     JOBS     HF  I  P. 


GIRLS 


H  ICH  5CHOSL. 


ROYS. 


TIMS  PP«  J«8- 


Ar«««.l    T'«»  «• 


40 


The  median  in  jobs  for  both  boys  and  girls  falls  at  three.  Two 
things  account  for  the  fact  that  the  girls  hold  fewer  jobs  than  the 
boys;  they  are  more  conservative  about  making  changes  and  they 
have  fewer  opportunities  than  boys  to  change  to  other  occupa- 
tions. This  condition  is  more  pronounced  among  the  girls  who 
had  the  least  education  and  were  not  able  to  continue  their  educa- 
tion after  leaving  school.  Many  of  the  girls  bettered  themselves 
by  taking  business  courses  even  though  they  remained  with  the 
same  firm. 

The  sixteen-year  old  High  School  boys  and  girls  consistently 
enter  fewer  different  occupations  than  the  other  groups. 

The  boys  gave  their  reasons  for  hunting  new  places  to  work  as 
follows:  "wanted  better  pay,"  "no  chance  there,"  and  ' 'didn't  like 
it."  Other  reasons  given  many  times  are :  "joined  an  agency  and 
found  a  better  job,"  "laid  off,"  "was  let  out,"  "work  too  hard," 
"flour  dust  made  me  sick,"  "tired  of  it,"  "got  canned,"  "foreman 
and  I  couldn't  agree,"  "got  to  chewing  the  rag  with  the  boss," 
"they  couldn't  give  me  a  raise  and  I  left,"  "wanted  to  learn  a  trade." 

An  interesting  situation  is  presented  in  the  following  table 
showing  the  means  through  which  the  children  found  their  work. 

Number.     Per  cent. 

By    application    _ _ ..-139  39.5 

Through  a  friend  _ 82  23.3 

Through  the  family  _ „.„ _ 55  15.6 

By  an  "Ad"  in  a  paper _ _...  39  11.1 

Through  an  agency  _ 17  4.8 

By  a  sign  in  a  window  - _ - ~ _ - - 10  2.8 

Through  the  public  school  - ~ 6  1.7 

At  home  (girls)   _ 4  1.1 

Remarks  directly  quoted  from  the  parents  of  children  are  very 
indicative  of  the  situation  in  many  cases.  Foreign  born  parents 
have  thrown  their  children  more  upon  their  resources  in  finding 
their  work.  These  parents  seemed  on  the  whole  to  know  less  of 
real  conditions  under  which  the  child  worked  and  took  more  for 
granted  in  most  cases. 

A  boy  promoted  from  clerk  to  wholesale  order  clerk:  "I  was  so  busy  getting 
into  something  that  I  never  stopped  to  think  whether  I  could  do  any  of  the 
work  or  not." 

A  girl  who  secured  a  position  addressing  envelopes  through  an  "ad"  in  the 
paper :  '  He  used  to  ask  me  to  go  out  with  him  to  lunch  and  to  spend  iihe 
evening,  too.  And  then  one  day  he  asked  me  if  I  would  go  away  and  stay  a  day 
with  him,  and  my  mother  said,  'Not  one  minute  longer  will  you  stay  there.  We 
will  go  right  down  and  pack  up  anything  you  have  there.'  ....  That  man  was 
sent  to  prision  for  ....  a  little  while  later." 

41 


Parent:  "I  do  not  think  the  girls  who  leave  the  eighth  grade  are  ready  to 
go  into  offices.  I  do  not  think  any  girl  is  ready  to  go  into  one  until  she  is  eighteen 
years  old,  unless  there  are  other  girls  working  there.  It  isn't  that  you  think 
evil  of  everyone,  but  it  does  mean  that  you  are  on  the  safe  side." 

Parent,  speaking  of  messenger  work  for  young  boys:  "I  never  knew  until 
some  mother  told  me  what  her  boy  had  been  seeing  and  hearing  at  that  work 
what  my  boy  must  have  been  going  through.  I  tell  you  we  ought  to  know  such 
things;  but  how  are  we  going  to  know  it?  I  went  to  every  position  that  he  had 
after  that  and  I  went  often  to  see  what  he  was  doing. ' ' 

"I  had  never  taken  any  course  because  I  didn't  know  what  to  take.  I  had 
often  wondered  why  there  wasn't  some  place  where  young  people  could  go  for 
advice,  not  just  an  Employment  Bureau  where  they  give  out  work. ' ; 

Special  delivery:  "I  have  wasted  a  lot  of  time.  When  I  started  in  I 
thought  it  was  a  fine  job,  because  I  only  had  to  work  from  eight  o  'clock  in  the 
morning  to  three  in  the  afternoon.  I  have  begun  to  realize  lately  that  it  would 
have  been  better  to  start  in  as  some  of  my  friends  did  who  had  to  go  to  work 
at  seven  o'clock  in  the  morning.  They  have  good  positions  now  and  I  have  out- 
grown my  job." 

Errand  girl,  now  an  usher:  "I  started  in  as  an  errand  girl,  and  I  really 
thought  when  I  started  in  I  would  learn  something;  but  I  really  never  learned 
anything  but  the  streets  of  the  town." 

Delivery  girl  for  a  dressmaking  establishment :  ' '  The  delivery  was  really 
too  hard  for  me.  It  is  too  hard  for  any  girl.  There  are  such  large  packages  and 
you  have  to  be  on  the  go  every  minute." 

Salesman:  "My  work  is  so  interesting  I  never  look  forward  to  the  end  of 
the  day  or  the  week.  Every  day  there  is  something  new.  I  had  no  idea  that 
there  was  so  much  in  business  when  I  started.  Salesmanship  is  a  fourth  pro- 
fession. You  have  to  learn  men  so  that  you  can  read  them  as  you  would  a 
book.  I  know  boys  who  went  to  school  with  me  whose  only  ambition  is  to  hold 
their  jobs.  My  ambition  doesn't  stick  to  holding  my  job.  I  want  to  advance 
out  of  it." 

Parent:  "I  think  the  factories  are  better  places  for  the  girls  to  work  than 
the  department  stores.  They  pay  better  wages;  and  then  the  girls  down  town 
have  to  pay  out  all  their  money  on  their  clothes,  they  get  an  idea  of  dress." 

Parent:  "Clerking,  which  makes  the  girls  stand  on  their  feet  all  day  is  too 
hard  on  them,  and  they  suffer  for  it  some  day.  Office  work  is  much  better 
suited  to  girls." 

Parent:  "There  is  no  way  that  a  girl  can  get  ahead  in  this  tangle  of  in- 
dustry unless  she  is  strong  as  an  ox  or  else  she  has  a  pull  that  is  just  as  strong. ' ' 

Parent:  "I  have  encouraged  the  girls  to  work  near  home.  They  do  not  get 
quite  so  much,  but  they  save  their  car  fare  and  lunch;  and  they  do  not  get  in 
with  all  kinds  of  girls.  There  are  more  girls  go  wrong  from  working  down 
town;  and  I  feel  that  it  is  one  thing  leading  to  another,  when  they  are  with  a 
lot  of  people  all  day  long  that  you  know  nothing  about  and  without  any 
supervision. ' ' 

Parent:     'It's  only  the  cheap  jobs  that  you  can  pick  up  so  easy  and  throw 


42 


Parent  who  doesn't  like  to  have  the  boys  become  chauffeurs:  ''It  is  big 
pay  for  little  fellows  and  it  spoils  them. ' ' 

Father:  "Well,  I  have  let  them  shift  for  themselves  pretty  well.  We  are 
not  people  with  any  influence,  and  all  you  can  do  is  to  try  out  a  place;  and  if 
they  don't  treat  you  right,  why,  leave  them." 

Parent:  "We  wanted  him  to  learn  the  business  and  we  thought  that  would 
be  a  good  place  to  learn  it.  We  made  him  stay  there,  too,  because  you  can't  tell 
always  when  a  boy  complains  whether  he  is  judging  the  place  right  or  not.  But 
we  are  sorry  now,  for  they  did  not  treat  him  white. " 

Some  expressions  of  foreign  born  parents. 

"A  girl  has  to  work  only  a  few  years  anyway;  and  so  it  does  not  make  so 
much  difference  what  she  does,  of  course.  But  it  is  nice  if  she  can  get  a  good 
place  and  make  good  money." 

"He  worked  at  whatever  he  could  make  most  money  at." 

"Sure,  he  likes  his  work.  They're  good  to  him,  why  shouldn't  he?"  (This 
mother  made  the  boy  stop  school  when  he  was  very  anxious  to  continue.) 

"Would  like  the  boy  to  have  easy  work  in  an  office,  but  he  hasn't  enough 
education  for  it." 

"I  wasn't  satisfied  to  have  him  working  with  a  whole  bunch  of  boys  in  them 
factories. ' ' 

"What  I  say,  I  say  with  sadness,  too.  My  children  make  me  feel  so  sad 
sometimes;  they  will  not  stay  with  the  one  place.  They  go  one  place  six  months 
and  then  five  months  and  that  way.  They  have  not  learned  the  lesson,  my  husband 
says,  of  staying  in  the  place  long.  And  we  are  born  in  the  one  country  and  the 
children  in  the  other.  When  you  are  not  brought  up  in  the  same  country,  you 
do  not  know,  you  can  not  say  what  to  do.  You  can  not  say  to  the  boys,  'No, 
you  can  not  go  to  Portland  or  to  Los  Angeles ',  when  he  says,  '  Mamma,  I  get  a  good 
job  out  west  with  lots  of  money." 


WAGES. 

The  average  wage  for  the  groups  is  given  below: 

Boys.                                                Starting  In  1912  Gain 

Non-Graduate _. $5.59  $12.95  $7.36 

Graduate  5.29  14.91  9.63 

High  School  — —  6.80  16.02  9.22 

Girls. 

Non-Graduate  $4.17  $7.73  $3.56 

Graduates  4.23  9.84  5.61 

High  School  5.52  9.12  3.60 

The  large  wage  attributed  to  non-graduates  upon  starting  rep- 
resents low  grade,  highly  paid  work;  such  as  teamsters,  water  car- 
riers, etc.  This  is  still  high  in  1912,  when  many  of  these  boys  re- 
tain the  idea  that  they  must  get  the  highest  paid  work,  usually  a 
matter  of  necessity. 

The  large  wage  of  the  graduate  group  of  girls  represents  some 
unusual  ability ;  such  as  music  teacher,  dancing  teacher,  actor,  etc. 

43 


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The  graduate  girls  group  contains  more  girls  who  took  business 
courses,  and  these  girls  have  raised  their  wages  very  materially. 


44 


IDLE   TIME. 


TIME  IDLE  IN  WEEKS  FOR  BOYS. 


Average 

Boys         Wks.  idle       time  idle  No.  idle  Pet.  idle 

Non-Graduate    ,. 105                930             8.9  wks.  53             50.4 

Graduate    42                302             7.2  wks.  14             33.3 

High  School  73                168             2.0  wks.  11             15.0 

Total  220  1,400  6.0  wks.  78  35.5 

In  the  high  school  group  one  boy  was  idle  for  over  a  year.  Many 
of  these  boys  have  never  lost  a  day's  work.  Some  have  never  had 
a  vacation ;  and  there  are  many  who  have  changed  work  often,  and 
pride  themselves  on  the  fact  that  they  have  left  one  shop  in  the 
evening  and  were  at  work  in  another  the  next  morning. 

Idleness  among  the  high  school  boys  is  almost  negligible.  Most 
of  them  secured  positions  which  are  of  permanent  interest  to  them 
and  are  a  constant  stimulant  to  growth  because  of  the  possible  pro- 
motions. 


OCCUPATIONS. 

DEPARTMENT  STORE  WORK. 

Girls.    Number:  52,  or  15.6%  of  all  girls  were  in  this  work  at  some  time. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting  Highest  wage  at  starting 

Cash „ $2.50  $4.00 

Bundle  Girls  2.50  4.00 

Stock    3.00  4.00 

Salesclerk    _ 3.00  6.00  (only  1) 

The  highest  wage  paid  to  any  in  this  whole  group  in  1912  was  $9.00;  of 
these  there  were  two.  One  was  a  cashier,  and  the  other  a  milliner. 

0 

There   were      3    receiving   $8.00 

There    were      5    receiving   7.00 

There    were    11    receiving 6.00 

Two  receiving  $6.00  had  been- with  their  firms  4  years;  and  one  receiving 
$6.00  had  been  with  her  firm  5  years.  These  were  holding  responsible  positions. 
The  average  length  of  time  at  work  in  this  occupation  for  the  whole  group 
was  20.4  months.  Age  seemed  to  make  no  difference  with  the  girls  and  their 
wages  here. 

Boys.     Number:  23,  or  6.9%  of  all  boys. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting  $  3.00 

Highest  wage  paid  in   1912  -  18.00 

45 


Several  were  receiving  $12.00,  and  each  of  these  had  spent  three  years  with 
his  firm.  When  the  boys  did  not  receive  a  satisfactory  wage,  or  did  not  feel 
that  there  was  "a  chance"  to  advance,  they  were  not  slow  in  leaving. 

The  average  length  of  time  for  the  group  in  this  work  was  15.4 
months. 

Fourteen  year  old  children,  both  boys  and  girls,  comprise  a  large  per  cent  of 
those  who  sought  department  store  work. 

The  median  wage  for  girls  in  all  kinds  of  work  falls  at  $8.00  in  1912;  but 
there  were  only  three  receiving  this  in  department  stores. 


OFFICE  WORK. 

Girls.    Number:  55,  or  16.5%  of  whole  number  who  tried  it  at  some  time. 

Stenographers „ 25 

Bookkeepers    - - _ _ _       6 

Wholesale  clerical  work  _ „... _ _ 1 

"Other,"   including  persons   "addressing  envelopes,"   "copy- 
ing," "recording,"  "filing,"  checking"  ..23 

Those  in  Stenography  all  took  business  college  courses.  In  many  cases  these 
girls  have  very  good  positions  and  have  not  reached  their  maximum  wage  by 
a  long  way. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting  in  this  work $  5.00 

Lowest  wage  in  1912  in  this  work 7.00 

Highest  wage  reached  in  1912  _ _ _ 16.75 

A  common  wage  reached  in  1912  in  this  work 10.00-$12.00 

Graduates  and  High  School  are  almost  in  even  numbers  in  this  group. 

The  "Clerical  Office  Other"  represents  a  lower  wage  and  work  which  re- 
quires no  previous  training  in  office  work. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting  in  this  work „ „ $  3.50 

Lowest  wage  in  1912  in  this  work - 6.50 

Highest  wage  reached  in  this  work 12.50 

A  common  wage - — — - - 8.00 

Average  wage  at  starting - ~ 5.78 

Average  wage  in  1912  ..., _.„ 9.30 

Boys.  Number:  48;  or  14.4%  of  whole  number,  were  in  this  work  at  some 
time. 

The  positions  represented  here  are: 

Stenography   2 

Bookkeepers   —      6 

Bank  clerks  - 5 

46 


Broker  clerks  _  2 

Railroad  clerks  7 

Wholesale   office   work   „  13 

Other,  clerical  13 

Number  taking  business  courses  here  was  15,  or  31.3%  of  group. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting  „ _.$  3.50 

(This  boy  now  makes  $16.25  a  week.) 

Average  wage  at  starting  » _™ 7.21 

Average  wage  in  1912  12.75 

WHOLESALE  HOUSES. 

Number:  58;  or  17.4%  of  whole  number. 

Girls  ~ 11  3.3% 

Boys  47  14.1% 

Wages —  Boys.  Girls. 

Lowest  $  5.00          $  3.00 

Highest    •. 18.75  18.75 

Average  wage — 

Starting - -~- -*  7.07  $  7.48 

In  1912  11.01  10.11 

The  girls  in  wholesale  office  work  show  a  much  better  average  than  in  any 
other  occupation.  Most  of  these,  however,  represent  girls  who  have  taken  busi- 
ness college  courses. 

The  average  time  spent  here  was  24  months  for  the  boys;  19  months  for  the 
girls,  and  a  much  better  advancement  is  shown  for  the  time  spent  in  it. 

Out  of  all  the  boys  who  entered  here  as  errand  boys,  and  many  fourteen- 
year-old  boys  did  so,  none  left  without  having  been  advanced  to  some  higher 
position. 

The  highest  position  in  the  group,  however,  were  not  filled  by  those  who 
started  in  as  errand  boys. 


TELEPHONE  WORK. 

Number.  16,  or  4."8%. 

Lowest  wage  at  starting 

Highest  wage  in  1912  ... 

Average  time  here  was  19.4  months. 

47 


FACTORY  WORK. 


Number:  89;  or  25%  of  the  whole  number. 


Boys    

59 
Girls 
$6.69 
9.35 
19 
28 
z!2 

Average  wage  at  starting 

Boys 

$5  05 

Average    wage    in    1912 

7  43 

Average  length  of  time  in  this  work 
Number  different  industries  entered  ... 
Largest  number  who  worked  in  any  01 

(  months  )  

26 
14 

le  industry  

*9 

*  Knitting  Works,     x  Sash  and  Door  Manufacturing. 

TYPICAL  WORKING  RECORDS. 
GIRLS. 

(1)     Non-Graduate — 16  years  old.     5A. 

This  girl  had  to  leave  school.  The  mother  was  keeping  the  children  in  school 
through  her  earnings  as  a  laundress.  There  was  one  younger  daughter  in  gchool 
when  this  one  left.  They  liked  school  very  much.  The  mother  had  never  had 
much  education  and  the  father  less. 


LAUNDRY  WORK. 

Employment       How  secured 


Time          Reason  for  leaving 


Wages  per 

week 
$4.50  to          Running,  shaking,       Friend      2  yrs.,  3  mos.   "Better  place. " 

mangling 

(Hotel)   mangling       Friend      9  mos.  "Tried    to     get     near 

home." 


6.00 
7.00 


6.50 


7.00 


Too  hard  there. 


Mangling  &  mark-     Applied     11  mos. 
ing.  (Same  place 
as  first.) 

Sorting,  starching,     Applied      1  yr.,  2  mos.    "Best     place     of    its 
marking.  (Hotel)  kind." 


(2)     Non-Graduate — 16  years  old.     7B. 

The  following  is  one  of  the  more  successful  girls  in  Department  store  work, 
having  reached  next  to  the  highest,  wage  found  in  that  group.  She  was  the  only 
girl  in  a  family  with  three  older  brothers.  Two  of  these  boys  had  serious  ill- 
nesses, and  the  daughter  decided  that  she  must  go  to  work,  although  her  ambition 
had  been  to  go  through  High  School  and  Normal  School  in  order  to  become  a, 
teacher. 

$3-$3.50— Cash  girl — Applied —  2  mos. 

4-4.50 — Stock  girl 
$5.00  Head  stock —  1  yr. 

6.00  Book-keeper 

7.00 

8.00  "Left  to  get  married." 


48 


(She  was  there  five  years  and  never  missed  a  day.  She  asked  for  all  raises 
after  $4.00,  and  was  never  refused  one.) 

(3)  Graduate — 14  years. 

This  girl  was  barely  fourteen  when  she  finished  the  grade  school.  Her  father 
and  mother  were  both  living.  She  was  one  of  four  children,  there  being  three 
older  brothers.  The  father  and  mother  were  foreign  born. 

$2.50 — Check  girl — Applied —  6  mos. 
3.50 — Cashier's   helper —  8   mos. 
4.50 — Helper  in  auditing  department 
5.00 — Helper  in  charge  department — 8  mos. 
6.00 — Mail  order  department — 1  yr. 
(In  all  five  years.) 

(4)  Graduate — 16  years  old. 

This  is  a  girl  with  American  born  parents  who  was  urged  to  go  on  to  High 
School.  Friends  got  her  to  go  to  a  business  college.  At  graduation  they  se- 
cured her  first  position. 

$6.00 — Stenographic  work — Friends —  5  mos.  "Broke  up  in  Business.'' 

6.00 — Stenographic  work — Through  college 
8.00 — Stenographic  work —  3  yrs.  2  mos. 

' '  Have  not  had  to  ask  for  any  of  my  raises  and  am  expecting  another  soon. ' ' 

(5)  High  School — 14  years  old. 

An  unusual  girl,  who  left  school  because  her  father's  small  wages  could  not 
support  his  large  family.  She  is  married  now,  but  is  still  working.  She  uses 
good  English,  and  has  very  high  ideals.  She  wanted  to  take  a  business  course, 
but  has  not  had  enough  money  to  do  it.  Now  she  is  getting  ready  to  open  hair- 
dressing  parlors. 

$3.00— Errands   (dressmaker)— " Ad"  "Didn't    like    it." 

3.00 — Office  work — Friend —  2  yrs.  3  mos. 
7.00 — Dusting — Friend — iy2  mos. 
5.00 — Ushering — Applied —  9  mos. 

(6)  High  School — 16  years  old. 

A  very  unusual  girl,  earning  the  highest  amount  paid  to  any  girl  in  the 
group.  Her  family  are  very  well  educated  people,  but  had  reverses;  and  the 
girl  felt  in  duty  bound  to  go  to  work.  Se  has  had  many  offers  of  other  positions, 
but  has  felt  that  there  was  "opportunity  right  here"  ami  has  stayed  with  the 
same  firm  for  four  years  and  half.  She  took  a  business  course  for  six  weeks 
previous  to  taking  this  position. 

$7.50 — Wholesale — Family  friend  of  manager 

Office  girl 

Filing 

Stenographic  and  filing  work 

Assistant  in  credit  department 
18.75 — In  charge  of  Credit  Department 

49 


BOYS. 

(7)     Non-Graduate — 14  years  old.     5B. 

Mother  a  widow  and  the  boy  had  to  go  to  work.  There  were  in  the  family  four 
children,  two  older  and  one  younger. 

$5,00 — Furniture  factory — Applied —  2  mos.  "They  paid  by  the   month, 

and  I  wanted  to  get  my 
pay  every  week." 

$5-$7.50 — Box   factory — Applied —  1   yr.  "They    started    paying    by 

the  month,  so  I   quit." 

5.00 — Shoe  factory — Applied —  2  wks.  "Didn't  like   the   foreman; 

too  bull-headed." 

7.50 — Box  factory — Applied —  3  mos.  "Wanted    to    draw    all    his 

pay  at  Christmas  time. 
They  kept  back  two  weeks 
so  he  left." 

9.00 — Furniture  factory — Applied —  3  mos.  "Wanted  him   to   stay   late 

.    one     night.       Would     not 
work  over  time. 

10.50 — Lumber    Co.    (teamster) — Applied — 2    yrs.     "Thought  I'd  get  an  easier 
13.00  8  mos.  job." 

12.00 — Teamster,  wholesale — Applied —  2  mos.          "Hours   were   too   hard.     I 
fruit'  &  produce.  had  to  leave  the  barn  at 

5   A.   M." 
13.00 — Teamster,  Lumber   Co. — Applied — 2  mos. 

(8)     Non-Graduate — 14  years  old.     6B. 

Parents  and  child  were  foreign  born  (Eussian.)  Mother  was  widow  at  this 
time.  This  boy,  the  oldest  of  seven  children,  had  to  leave  school  to  go  to  work. 
Mother  has  since  died  and  the  boy  has  now  become  the  sole  support  of  the  family. 

$6.00 — Tub  and  pail  factory — Applied —  6  mos.         "Didn't     like     the     work; 

nothing  interesting  in  it." 

5.00 — Carpet  and  rug  cleaning — Friend —  2  yrs.         ' '  Foreman  got  me  mad. ' ' 
(Piece  work)  10  mos. 

7.50  & — Railroad    (helper    in — Friend — 10    days.     "It  was   too   hot   there." 
board —  kitchen.) 

7.00 — Driver  U.  S.  Mail  Wagon — Friend — 8  mos.     "There  wasn't  enough  in 

it." 

7-12 — Carpet  and  rug  cleaning — Applied —  1  wk.       "Foreman     got    me    mad 
(same.)  again." 

10.50 — Tub  and  pail  factory — Applied —  1  mo.  ' '  Couldn  't  stand  smell  of 

paint. ' ' 

12.50 — Oiling,  E.  E.  roundhouse — Applied —  1  mo. 
(Wants  to  become  a  railroad  fireman.) 

50 


(9)     Non-Graduate — 16  years  old.     8B. 

Parents  were  foreign  born  (Swedish),  and  both  are  living.  Boy  left  school 
because  he  failed  to  pass.  The  father  was  sorry  to  have  him  leave  school  and 
tried  to  persuade  him  to  remain. 


$6.00 — Garment    factory — Friend —  2    wks. 


"Dissatisfied      with 
work." 


the 


6.50 — Wholesale    Paper    Co. — Friend —  3    yrs.        Left  to  learn  a  trade  as  he 

12.50 — Stock  boy  to  Asst.  shipping —  2  mos.  "  thought  it  handy  to  have 

clerk.  a  trade  to  fall  back  upon 

when  you  haven't  a  good 
education. " 

12.00 — Electric    Supplies    & — Friend —  2    yrs. 
19.20 — Contractor —  4  mos. 

(Electrician's  Helper.     Intends  to  take  a  journeyman's  examination  soon.) 


(10)     Non-Graduate — 16  years  old.     6B. 

Boy's  father  died  when  he  was  small.  He  was  not  happy  in  school  and  was 
sent  to  the  Truant  School.  He  really  enjoyed  his  work  there  for  the  first  time. 
He  is  now  out  of  work. 


$5.00— Messenger— "Ad  "—  1  yr. 
12.00— 

8.00 — Bemis  Bag — Friend —  6  mos. 
Press  feeder. 

8.00  or  9.00  Messenger — Applied  8  mos. 


10.00 — Auto  Co. — Friend —  4  mos. 
Errands  &  Cleaning  autos. 
(Time  lost — several  months.) 


2  mos. 


Scrapped   and  left. ' ' 


Didn't  like  it. 


was  sort  of  filling  in 
time  anyway." 

"Got  sick." 


10.00 — Pool  room.  Selling — "Hung —  1  yr.  6  mos.     "Dull  times  and  got  laid 
cues  &  cigars.  around." 


15.00 — Hotel  elevator — Friend —  1  yr.  2  mos. 

boy. 
(Has  been  in  hospital  for  several  weeks.) 


off." 
"Sick. 


(11)     Graduate — 14  years  old. 

This  boy  was  the  son  of  a  widow;  but  the  mother  had  intended  to  keep  the 
boy  in  High  School.  He  tried  to  get  work  in  the  summer  vacation,  but  did  not 
get  any.  He  had  joined  an  Agency,  and  the  day  school  started,  the  Agency  sent 
word  to  him  that  they  had  "found  a  fine  job  for  him."  He  decided  to  try  it,  and 


51 


has  been  there  ever  since.     He  is  very  ambitious  and  is  looking  forward  to  better 
positions  all  the  time. 

$3.00 — Life  Insurance — Agency 

Errand  boy  2  mos. 

Assistant  filing  clerk  4  mos. 

Filing  clerk  2  yrs. 

Information  desk  iy2  yrs. 

15.00 — Auditing  3  mos.         (Given  choice  of  auditing 

or  policy  department.) 
Note:     Could  not  do  arithmetic  in  school. 

(12)  Graduate — 15  years  old. 

This  boy  is  the  oldest  of  six  children.  The  family  are  Americans  and  very 
ambitious  for  their  children.  The  father  was  earning  a  small  wage,  and  the 
mother  was  sewing.  They  finally  felt  that  the  boy  would  have  to  stop  school,  but 
they  have  done  everything  they  could  since  then  to  complete  his  education. 

$4-$10— Publishers,  errands— "Ad"—  1%  yrs.         "Discharged."          "Would 
drove  wagon,  etc.  have    kept    me    if    I    had 

worked  for  less  pay.  Told 
him  I  was  looking  for 
more,  not  less." 

$5-15 — Publishers — helper — Applied —  2    mos.  "Discharged  all  the  union 

men." 

9.50 — Newspaper  work — ' '  Old  boss —  6  mos.  ' '  Discontinued  night  shift. ' ' 

night  shift.  sent  for 

(Out  of  town.)  me. 

19.00 — 25.00 — Publishers — Applied —  2  mos.  ' '  Wanted  to  leave  town. ' ' 

linotyper. 

20.00 — Newspaper-linotype — Applied — 1  yr.  4  mos.  ' '  Got  homesick. ' ' 

21.00 — Newspaper.  Sub — Applied —  7  mos. 
linotyper. 

(Does  not  intend  to  stay  at  this  work  always.  He  has  done  a  full  High 
School  course  through  extension  work  and  is  now  studying  law.) 

(13)  High  School — 15  years  old. 

This  boy  is  the  son  of  American  born  parents  who  helped  the  boy  decide. 

$25  mo. — Bank  messenger — Through  father —  6  mos. 
Collection  Department 
Mail  Department 
Statement  clerk 

52 


$50  mo. — Book-keeper — Time  altogether — 4  yrs.  1  mo. 

(Was  promised  that  he  would  have  a  good  opportunity  in  the  bank  if  he 
wanted  it,  because  of  his  reliability.) 


(14)     High  School — 15  years  old. 

Mother  dead.  Family  would  have  been  glad  to  have  the  boys  remain  in  school 
as  long  as  they  would.  Parents  well  educated.  Boy  was  not  satisfied  in  school, 
however.  All  that  he  really  cared  for  was  English. 


$6.00 — M'pVs.  Newspaper — Applied —  1  yr. 
"Holding  copy." 


65-100 — Dramatic  School  1  yr. 

studying. 

(Always  had  a  taste  for  drama.) 
Actor  Through  circuit —  2  yrs. 


25.00  mo. — Messenger  Bank — Friend 


Thought  it  would  not  be 
long  until  I  had  the  busi- 
ness well  in  hand.  Soon 
realized  this  was  all  fu- 
tile, not  enough  educa- 
tion." 


Found  that  I  must  get 
something  to  do  that  had 
more  certainty  in  it." 


(15)     High  School— 16  years  old. 

A  'hand-minded'  boy.  His  parents  were  very  much  disappointed  when  they 
found  that  he  was  skipping  school.  He  started  in  on  a  course  that  he  was  ad- 
vised to  take,  and  it  proved  that  it  was  the  wrong  one.  His  mother  said,  ' '  I  think 
if  he  could  ever  have  had  a  chance  down  there  in  the  manual  work  room  he  would 
be  absolutely  happy.  We  couldn't  get  him  to  go  back." 

$7.00 — Tire  Co. — "Ad" —  1  yr.  "Thought    he    would    find 

Helper  better  place." 

8.00 — Kubber  Co. — Applied —  3  mos.  ' '  Offered  place  with  friend. ' ' 

Repairer 

8.00 — Rubber  Tire — Knew  Manager —  3  mos. 
Farming. — Family    friend — 2  mos. 
* '  Helping  hand. ' ' 
(Telegraphy  school  for  4  mos.) 

10.00 — Telegraph   operator — Applied —  4  mos. 
10.00 — Telegraph  operator — Applied —  4  mos. 

8.00 — Electric  Equipment — Applied —  3  mos. 
Co.  Order  clerk. 

8.00 — Auto  Co.  Tire  changer  1  wk. 

changer. 

9-15 — Tire  Co.  Stock  & — Applied —  2  yrs.  2  mos. 
shipping  clerk. 


Wanted  to  go  to  Dakota." 
"Couldn't  stand  it." 

"Color  blind." 
"Color  blind." 
"Better  place." 


Offered  better  place. 


Old  firm.' 


53 


(16)     High  School — 16  years  old. 

American  family.  Father  died  when  the  boy  was  in  High  School,  and  boy 
was  compelled  to  leave  although  he  "felt  terrible"  to  think  of  losing  his  op- 
portunity for  an  education.  Only  child. 

$25  mo. — B.  E.  Office,  Ass't. — Friend —  1  mo.  "Business  dull." 

rate  clerk. 

25 — Chamber  of  Commerce — E.  E.  Office  people 
Answered  telephone  7  mos. 

Charge  of  Wheat  Board        Several  mos. 
Half  time  in  office, 
rest   in   Ass't.   Sec'y.   office 

65  mo. — Office  work  in  Ass't.  Sec'y.  office. 

(He  took  much  work  in  the  evening  at  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  business  college.) 

Some  salient  features  present  themselves  in  the  fourteen-year 
group  which  are  worthy  of  note. 

BOYS: 

In  promising  positions   (with  further  education)    19 

(With   no   further   education)    _ 39 

Not  in  promising  position  (No  further  education)   

Total    96 

Positions  are  considered  not  promising  which  are  not  trades  or 
which  offer  no  future.  Of  those  holding  positions  of  no  promise, 
there  were : 

High    School    boys 2 

Graduate  boys   — 8 

Non-graduate  boys  

38 
In  this  group  of  thirty-eight  we  find,  also,  that  there  are : 

Fathers    dead   - 20 

Fathers   disabled   1 

Fathers  divorced  or  deserters  2 


GIRLS: 

Who   took   further   education   - 

Who  did  not  take  further  education  -,- 

43 
54 


The  story  of  a  large  number  of  the  fourteen-year  children  is 
well  told  in  the  following  remark  made  by  a  boy.  He  said,  "I  al- 
ways had  to  take  the  jobs  where  I  could  earn  the  most  money.  I 
don't  want  to  be  a  common  laborer  all  my  life.  I  would  like  some 
easy  work  in  an  office  where  I  could  learn  and  work  up,  but  the 
pay  is  too  small." 

Such  children  were  never  able  to  allow  themselves  any  choice  in 
their  work,  except  in  the  matter  of  wage;  and  then  it  was  neces- 
sarily "the  job  where  you  can  make  the  most  money." 

The  attitude  of  the  fourteen-year  boy  is  to  be  contrasted  with 
that  of  the  older  boy.  The  older  boys  seem  to  realize  their  stand 
still  unless  they  secure  more  education,  and  the  action  of  the 
sixteen-year  old  boys  has  been  much  quicker  in  the  matter  of 
getting  further  education.  The  habits  which  the  younger  boys 
acquired  duing  the  years  when  they  were  not  taken  seriously  by 
the  industrial  world  have,  without  question,  had  a  deteriorating  in- 
fluence upon  them. 

Again  we  resort  to  the  children's  own  remarks  as  most  ex- 
pressive of  their  attitude : 

Concerning  messenger  work:  "I  liked  that  fine,  especially  the  night  hours. 
I  liked  to  go  around  in  the  fresh  air  at  night.  Then  I  had  all  the  afternoon  to 
myself  after  I  had  slept  in  the  morning,  and  I  liked  that." 

Elevator  boy :  "  I  have  never  thought  much  about  the  future,  and  I  don 't  bother 
my  head  much  about  it  now." 

"I  would  have  stayed  at  it  (electrician's  helper),  but  it  takes  too  much 
studying.  You  have  to  study  all  the  time,  so  I  quit." 

A  mother  said:  "When  my  two  boys  left  high  school  we  felt  that  they 
must  be  employed.  We  urged  them  to  get  easy  work  while  they  were  young 
and  we  had  to  keep  taking  them  out  of  work  that  was  too  hard  for  them.  It 
was  really  too  bad.  They  have  been  errand  boys  and  delivery  boys  and  have 
had  experiences  that  most  boys  do  not  get  until  they  are  twenty-four  or  twenty- 
five  years  old.  Their  leaving  school  when  they  did  has  been  a  real  drawback  to 
them  but  we  couldn't  -keep  them  in." 

Age  and  public  school  education  do  not  seem  to  have  been  determining 
factors  in  the  choice  or  success  of  the  girls'  work. 

Age  and  public  school  education  seem  to  have  been  strong  determining 
factors  in  the  choice  and  success  of  the  boys'  work.  The  high  school  sixteen- 
year  old  boys  reached  the  highest  point  as  a  group  and  individually. 


55 


Discussion  of  the   Survey 


It  would  seem  almost  unnecessary  to  discuss  these  tables,  so 
very  clear  and  intelligible  do  they  seem ;  and  for  the  man  who  has 
time  for  study  of  them,  it  certainly  would  be  interesting  for  him 
to  find  his  own  conclusions.  However,  for  the  man  whose  duties 
forbid  him  this  pleasure,  the  Committee  has  decided  to  outline 
briefly  the  conclusions  to  which  it  has  come. 

The  number  of  pupils  leaving  at  the  different  ages  included 
in  this  survey  is :  at 

14  years  „ 139 

15  years 82 

16  years  131 

This  table  alone  leaves  a  very  wrong  impression.  When  all 
the  pupils  at  first  included  in  the  survey  had  been  followed  up,  the 
number  was  still  too  small.  To  fill  up  the  quota  thought  necessary 
to  get  a  good  working  basis  there  were  added  all  children  of  four- 
teen, no  matter  from  what  school,  at  work  on  labor  permits  in 
1908.  This  number  was  81.  After  subtracting  this,  the  original 
number  representing  the  average  age  of  leaving  school  becomes 


14  years  58 


This  agrees  pretty  well  with  the  condition  obtaining  in  the 

whole  city.     The  great  emptying  of  our  school  houses  is  made 

when  pupils  reach  sixteen  years  of  age.  Below  is  given  a  table 
showing  age  distribution  for  Minneapolis  for  the  years  1904,  1908, 
and  1912. 

1904       1908  1912  %  of  1908  group 

6  years  4835       5007  5165  100% 

7  years  .1 4113       4020  4155  80% 

8  years  3997       4023  4332  80.5 

9  years  4111       4045  4097  80.9 

10  years  3996       4218  3996  84.3 

11  years  3813       4115  4097  82.3 

12  years  3925       4238  4109  84.7 

13  years  3601       4183  3975  83.6 

14  years  3137       3819  4031  76.4 

15  years  2271       3051  3248  62.8 

16  years  1428       1812  1984  38.8 

17  years  842       1117  1211  22.3 

18  years  453        562  794  11.2 

19  years  224        263  366  5.2 

20  years  103         97  167  1.9  . 

56 


The  change  from  1904  to  1912  should  be  noted.  In  1904  nearly 
500  children  left  school  on  attaining  the  age  of  fourteen:  in  1912 
there  is  a  slight  gain  at  fourteen.  But  in  1912  the  drop  at  sixteen 
is  very  great.  This  change  is  due  to  better  compulsory  education 
laws,  and  a  stricter  enforcement  of  them.  Most  states  make  four- 
teen years  the  age  at  which  children  are  allowed  to  enter  in- 
dustry. Minnesota  has  wisely  raised  this  age  to  sixteen  for  all 
occupations,  and  our  last  law  allows  no  exemptions  for  poverty 
or  any  other  reason.  Before  1912,  labor  certificates  could  be 
granted  to  children  of  fourteen,  if  they  had  finished  the  elementary 
grades,  if  the  necessities  of  the  home  were  extreme,  or  if  they  were 
physically  unfit  for  the  confinement  and  study  of  a  school  room. 
Possibly  the  reader  will  be  glad  to  know  how  Minneapolis  stands 
in  comparison  with  the  general  condition  all  over  the  United  States. 
The  following  diagram  shows  it  at  a  glance. 


/oo 

90 

fo 

7° 

U 


\ 


tfo 


/o 

0 


Solid  line — Minneapolis. 
Broken  line — United  States. 

Numbers  at  left — The  percentages  when  the  number  of  six 
year-old  is  taken  as  100%. 

Next  the  grades  at  which  children  leave  school  is  of  importance. 
The  survey  shows  that  the  point  where  the  most  children  drop  out 
is  at  graduation  from  the  eighth  grade,  nearly  one-fourth  of  the 
whole  number  leaving  then.  The  first  year  of  High  School  comes 
next  with  82;  and  then  comes  the  seventh  grade  with  58.  This 
corresponds  exactly  with  the  condition  throughout  the  city.  Be- 
low is  a  table  showing  the  numbers  in  each  grade  of  the  City 
Schools  in  1904,  1908,  and  1912. 


57 


1904 

1  st  grade  _ 963  7 

2nd  grade  4975 

3rd  grade  4985 

4th  grade  ...5201 

5th  grade  4172 

6th  grade  3583 

7th  grade  _ „ 2705 

8th  grade  2004 


I  ....... 

II  

III  

IV 


1477 

905 

701 
504 


1908 
8919 
4723 
4950 
5083 
4819 
4403 
3840 
3072 

1892 

1359 

858 

654 


1912 

7444 
4887 
4823 
5086 
4808 
4590 
4257 
3730 

2315 
1554 
1096 
1137 


A  diagram  in  which  this  is  graphically  represented  follows.  The 
medians  are  obtained  by  the  Strayer  method.  The  solid  line  in- 
dicates the  condition  in  Minneapolis  in  1912,  while  the  broken 
line  represents  the  average  condition  in  the  318  cities  studied. 


58 


This  shows  that  the  sharpest  drop  comes  between  the  eighth 
grade  and  the  first  year  of  High  School ;  the  next  in  the  seventh 
grade.  The  big  loss  at  graduation  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  com- 
pulsory education  law  up  to  this  present  school  year  allowed  the 
Boards  of  Education  to  grant  labor  permits  to  the  graduates;  and 
to  the  further  fact  that  many  persons  of  foreign  birth  believe  that 
their  duty  to  their  children  in  the  matter  of  education  ceases  with 
the  receipt  of  a  diploma,  and  that  the  day  has  come  when  children 
should  contribute  to  the  support  of  the  home.  This  conviction  is 
further  established  by  the  fact  that  about  this  period  most  children 
are  confirmed ;  and  confirmation  in  the  old  country  is  equivalent  to 
commencement  in  the  new  life  of  of  industry. 

The  mortality  in  the  High  School  is  due  to  two  principal  causes. 
First,  as  already  shown  by  the  comments  on  the  school,  the  high 
schools  have  been  a  disappointment  to  many  who  have  anticipated 
work  different  from  that  of  the  elementary  school,  work  better 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  youth  about  to  assume  the  responsibility 
of  self-supporting  manhood.  This  will  be  discussed  later  on. 
Second,  during  the  first  year  of  the  high  school,  most  pupils  reach 
the  age  of  sixteen,  and  are  entirely  free  from  the  control  of  the 
school  authorities. 

A  third  cause  active  on  pupils  in  any  grade  is  lack  of  success. 
Trailing  behind  a  class  from  one  to  five  years  is  not  calculated  to 
arouse  enthusiasm  for  the  race.  Failure  opens  the  way  to  dis- 
couragement, which  is  followed  by  giving  up  the  job.  Of  the  352 
cases  studied,  60.5%  of  the  boys  and  53%  of  the  girls  were  behind 
their  classes  from  one  to  five  years.  (See  Table  V)  In  1908  an 
age-grade  census  was  taken  in  this  city.  It  was  not  complete, 
but  covered  about  two-thirds  of  all  pupils.  In  Bulletin  No.  5,  1911, 
issued  by  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education,  the  results  are  given. 
There  were  33,738  pupils  reported;  19,520  were  normal  and  13,721 
behind  their  classes  from  one  to  five  years.  387  were  under  normal 
age.  Reduced  to  a  percentage  basis,  44%  of  boys  were  over  age, 
and  37.9%  of  girls  were  retarded.  These  figures  show  that  in 
the  group  studied  there  were  16.5%  more  retarded  boys  than  the 
average  for  the  city,  and  15%  more  of  girls.  On  account  of  retarda- 
tion, no  doubt  many  young  boys  and  girls  yield  the  battle,  and 
get  out  of  school,  where  they  have  failed,  and  into  work,  where, 
fortunately,  many  have  succeeded. 

Using  the  numbers  given  by  Strayer,  it  is  possible  to  compute 
the  average  time  for  a  pupil  to  cover  the  eight  grades.  For  Min- 
neapolis it  is  8.65  years.  Ayres  thinks  the  average  for  all  cities  is 
9.34  years ;  the  Report  of  City  Club  of  Chicago  asserts  the  belief 
that  it  is  above  ten  years  for  the  city.  Here  is  a  waste  in  Minne- 
apolis of  65  hundredths  of  a  year  on  every  eight  years,  or  a  little 
over  eight  per  cent.  Ayres,  in  "Laggards  in  Our  Schools,"  makes 
a  correction  of  .8  per  cent  for  the  difference  between  the  average 
age  of  beginning  pupils  and  the  age  of  pupils  in  the  first  grade. 
If  this  should  be  added,  the  waste  is  increased  to  1.45  years,  or 
18  per  cent  over-time  for  the  completion  of  the  work.  In  the 

59 


same  volume  he  states  that  retardation  in  Minneapolis  is  18.9%, 
and  in  1908  cost  Minneapolis  $258.647.  This  seems  too  high ;  but 
at  the  lowest  it  is  $150,000  a  year.  Such  a  bagatelle  is  worth  look- 
ing after;  and  it  would  seem  wise  to  make  a  very  careful  census 
by  grades  and  ages  to  discover  the  place  where  the  loss  occurs ;  and 
then  to  make  a  critical  study  of  the  curriculum  to  get  rid  of  the 
causes  of  retardation  in  so  far  as  they  can  be  removed. 

Now  if  a  study  be  made  of  the  reasons  for  leaving,  we  shall 
find  them  to  fall  into  three  classes :  sickness,  financial  reasons,  and 
dissatisfaction.  Sickness  is  reason  enough ;  but  it  is  unfortunate 
for  the  child  and  for  the  state  that  any  child  should  be  compelled 
to  leave  for  any  reason  whatsoever  before  the  completion  of  his 
elementary  education.  For  the  child  it  is  a  misfortune,  because 
less  than  this  is  but  fractional.  All  systems  contemplate  a  course 
through  the  eight  years  as  their  smallest  unit;  subjects  like  United 
States  history,  government,  and  grammar  are  not  included  until 
the  seventh  and  eighth  grades,  and  the  more  practical  applications 
of  arithmetic,  like  interest,  insurance,  and  commission  cannot  be 
taken  earlier.  Moreover,  after  tests  had  been  given  by  the  Com- 
mittee making  a  survey  in  Chicago,  they  concluded  that  after  a 
few  years  at  work  a  sixth  grade  pupil  forgot  nearly  everything 
he  had  learned,  while  an  eighth  grade  pupil  made  a'much  better 
showing.  (See  Report  by  the  City  Club,  p.  272  et  seq.)  To  quote 
a  few  sentences:  "Two  main  points  stood  out  clearly  in  the 
arithmetic  test :  First. — The  boys  of  the  eighth  grade  were  superior 
to  the  sixth,  in  a  test  which  should  have  been  worked  by  all. 
Second. — The  boys  who  were  in  what  might  be  termed  a  con- 
tinuation school  were  ahead  of  the  boys  of  the  corresponding 
grades  who  were  out  of  school."  Again ;  "As  between  the  grades, 
the  results  (of  the  English  test)  show  the  same  condition  that 
obtains  in  arithmetic.  .  .  .  This  is  also  true  of  spelling  and  writ- 
ing." Again;  "Taking  up  the  matter  from  the  standpoint  of  the 
grades,  it  may  be  said  that  the  eighth  grade  boy  has  enough  knowl- 
edge of  Civil  Government  so  that  the  most  important  points  of 
the  subject  will  probably  clear  up  in  his  mind  as  he  gets  a  little 
older  and  reads  the  newspapers  more.  The  same  thing  can  be 
said  for  a  very  few  of  the  seventh  grade  boys.  The  information 
of  the  sixth  and  fifth  grade  boys  is  so  meager  along  the  lines  of 
civil  government  and  history,  that  it  seems  doubtful  whether  they 
will  ever  have  an  understanding  of  what  democratic  government 
is."  To  get  all  the  subjects  needed  for  entrance  upon  life,  and 
much  more,  to  grip  them  so  firmly  that  they  will  not  slip  away 
requires  a  complete  elementary  course.  Anything  less  is  a  mis- 
fortune for  any  boy  or  girl.  Then  if  we  believe  that  the  govern- 
ment of  this  nation  shall  be  just  as  intelligent  as  the  people,  we 
shall  not  be  proud  of  less  than  elementary  education. 

Of  those  who  left  school  for  financial  reasons,  forty  do  not 
affirm  that  it  was  necessary,  they  just  wanted  to  earn,  and  125 
assert  that  they  had  to  leave.  A  very  few  (19)  of  those  who 
alleged  dissatisfaction  with  the  school  as  the  reason  for  leaving 
were  in  homes  receiving  an  income  so  low  that  it  would  seem  more 

60 


truthful  to  say  that  real  need  was  probably  the  true  reason.  Take 
this  number  from  the  170  who  were  dissatisfied,  and  we  have  151, 
for  whom  dissatisfaction  seems  the  real  cause  of  leaving  school. 
Now  was  the  need  of  money  the  real  reason  why  the  125  left  school? 
A  study  of  Table  VII  will  reveal  that  necessity  had  little  to  do 
with  at  least  fifty  of  the  125,  for  the  incomes  in  these  homes  aver- 
age from  $75  to  $200  a  month.  If  $60  a  month  is  adequate  to 
keep  a  family  and  send  children  to  school,  the  65  of  the  group 
could  have  remained;  and  if,  as  some  say,  $50  will  do  this,  then 
76  out  of  the  125  who  thought  they  had  to  work  could  have  been 
supported  in  school,  and  only  49  were  driven  from  school  by  sheer 
need.  Supposing,  however,  that  we  retain  the  first  supposition 
of  $75  a  month  as  the  living  income  for  a  family  of  six,  and  this 
is  about  the  figure  set  by  the  Department  of  Labor,  (See  the 
chapter  on  "A  Living  Wage  in  Minneapolis")  then  50  do  not 
have  to  leave,  and  should  be  added  to  the  column  of  those  to  whom 
the  schools  were  not  attractive.  This  makes  a  total  in  that  class 
of  201,  or  60  per  cent  of  all  who  were  well  enough  to  attend 
school. 

Whether  a  different  type  of  school  would  have  held  them  is 
always  problematical.  Answers  to  a  direct  question  on  that  sub- 
ject given  four  years  after  they  left  school,  would  not  reflect  the 
true  decision.  Many  boys  and  girls  just  get  uneasy  in  school, 
and  wish  to  try  the  world,  and  no  type  of  school  will  hold  them. 
Still  wherever  answers  have  been  sought,  they  have  indicated 
that  many  would  be  attracted  by  a  scheme  of  education  that  fitted 
well  to  the  conditions  of  industry.  The  Massachusetts  Report 
found  that  885  would  have  stayed  in  school  if  they  could  have 
learned  a  trade,  while  to  800  it  would  have  made  no  difference. 
The  Report  of  the  City  Club  of  Chicago  says  (p.  270)  that  60.3% 
of  the  pupils  leaving  the  high  schools  of  that  city  drop  out  because 
"they  see  no  connection  between  their  high  school  work  and  their 
future  vocation."  The  fact  that  60  of  the  170  who  were  dissatis- 
fied with  school  afterwards  paid  for  instruction  in  private  institu- 
tions, and  that  56  out  of  the  whole  number  completed  a  course  in 
some  business  college,  paying  $4200  for  the  instruction,  is  positive 
evidence  that  the  right  kind  of  school  would  hold  them.  It  would 
seem  to  be  a  conservative  statement  to  affirm  that  one-half  of  those 
leaving  our  schools  before  the  age  of  sixteen  could  be  retained 
if  there  were  some  plainly  seen  value  in  our  educational  curricula. 
It  is  high  time  that  the  city  realized  the  necessity  of  a  vocational 
motive  in  education,  and  modified  its  courses  of  study  so  that  they 
would  attract  rather  than  repel  a  large  class  of  children.  And 
every  teacher  should  cling  fast  to  her  confession  of  faith  in  the 
ultimate  goodness  dwelling  in  every  child,  no  matter  how  im- 
possible he  seems,  and  to  her  her  vow  that  she  will  every  day 
lift  one  child  to  the  light.  With  a  new  motive  and  a  new  consecra- 
tion, much  of  this  waste  of  youth  can  be  stopped. 

Yet  not  all.  There  is  an  irreducible  fraction  of  our  school  popu- 
lation that  cannot  go  to  school.  Certainly  the  49  children  in 
families  where  the  income  is  less  than  $50  a  month  must  feel  the 

61 


pinch  of  poverty.  And  when  one  finds  in  this  group  24  children 
whose  mothers  are  widows,  one  concludes  that  widowhood  is  very 
often  followed  by  want  and  privation.  The  Census  Report  of  1900 
states  that  but  8.6%  of  women  between  35  and  44  years  old  are 
widows.  It  is  significant,  then,  that  in  the  whole  survey,  71  chil- 
dren had  no  father — 20  per  cent  of  the  whole  number.  Of  the  125 
in  the  "Had  to  work"  group,  51,  or  40.8%,  were  children  of  widows ; 
and  24  of  this  group,  or  47%,  were  living  on  less  than  $50  a  month. 
With  these  facts  before  them,  the  Committee  voted  in  favor  of 
some  wise  legislation  to  relieve  the  burden  upon  many  widows. 

The  next  question  is,  what  kind  of  schools  are  needed?  A 
shrewd  business  man  would  certainly  study  the  market  before 
he  built  and  equipped  his  factory.  So  far  as  this  survey  is  illumin- 
ating, it  shows  plainly  that  no  one  industry  predominates,  and 
would  absorb  a  large  output  of  any  special  product  of  the  educa- 
tional factory.  Arranging  gainful  occupations  for  the  whole  popu- 
lation of  this  city  so  that  they  can  be  easily  compared  with  the 
results  of  the  survey,  we  have  the  following  table  in  percentages: 

All  in  gainful 

occupations.  Survey  Survey 

Census  1900.  1908.  1912. 

Agriculture  . _ _ 2.3  .6  .3 

Professional  _ 5.6  .3  2.6 

Domestic  and  Personal  (includes  laborers)  19.4  8.5  14.8 

Trade  and  Transportation  36.4  65.3  53. 

Manufacturing   and   Mechanical   Pursuits   36.4  25.3  27.2 

For  us  but  three  of  the  classifications  demand  consideration. 
First,  the  number  in  domestic  and  personal  service  is  large.  A 
study  of  Tables  XII  and  XIII  shows  that  these  occupations  are 
such  that  special  preparation  is  not  demanded,  unless  for  those 
girls  who  will  later  go  into  the  home.  This  preparation  is  already 
provided  in  courses  given  to  all  pupils  in  the  grades;  and,  since 
last  September,  to  all  wishing  such  work  in  the  High  School.  That 
this  work  will  improve  in  efficiency  and  gain  in  popularity  is  cer- 
.tain.  Second,  the  largest  group  is  found  in  trade  and  transporta- 
tion ;  and  some  sort  of  education  should  be  provided  for  this  large 
number.  The  High  Schools  now  provide  a  four-year  Commercial 
Course,  and  32  per  cent  of  all  High  School  pupils  register  for  this 
work.  This,  however,  does  not  care  for  the  large  number  who 
never  reach  the  High  School,  nor  for  those  who  must  leave  before 
the  completion  of  such  a  course.  And  third,  manufacturing  and 
mechanical  pursuits  absorbed  one-fourth  of  the  boys  and  girls  who 
left  school  in  1908.  Hand  work  is  given  in  the  grades,  and  manual 
training  ten  hours  a  week  in  all  High  Schools  to  those  who  wish 
it.  And  yet  all  agree  that  more  should  be  done. 

Referring  now  to  the  survey  tables,  showing  when  the  pupils 
left  school,  and  the  table  showing  when  large  numbers  drop  out 
of  all  our  schools,  one  finds  that  they  agree  in  this :  that  the  seventh 
grade  does  not  receive  all  the  4600  found  in  the  sixth  grade.  The 

62 


age  of  pupils  in  the  seventh  grade  is  about  thirteen  or  fourteen 
years,  periods  of  restlessness  and  great  motor  activity.  Something 
must  be  doing  if  many  of  these  shall  be  retained.  Moreover,  when 
they  reach  the  age  of  sixteen  and  the  law  ceases  to  hold  them, 
many  are  going  to  work,  no  matter  what  kind  of  schools  may  be 
provided  for  their  instruction.  Considering,  then,  these  two  great 
facts,  the  period  of  adolescence  and  the  sixteen-year  compulsory 
education  law,  it  would  seem  a  wise  procedure  to  introduce  at  the 
beginning  of  the  seventh  grade  courses  of  study  that  should  be 
practical  enough  to  be  attractive  to  an  active  fourteen-year  old 
boy,  and  sensible  enough  to  give  him  some  help  when  he  enters  j 
the  industrial  world. 

And  the  table  of  occupations  indicates  plainly  that  two  lines 
are  necessary:  one  for  the  more  than  fifty  per  cent  entering  the 
commercial  world ;  the  other  for  the  twenty-five  per  cent  going  into 
factories  and  trades.  These  courses  should  not  be  longer  than  four 
years;  and  it  may  be  wiser  to  make  them  but  three  years,  for  at 
the  end  of  a  three  years'  course,  most  of  the  pupils  will  reach 
the  age  of  sixteen  and  are  likely  to  leave  school.  The  high  schools 
must  receive  these  pupils  without  loss  of  a  grade,  if  they  should 
decide  to  take  up  advanced  work,  either  in  a  commercial  course  or 
a  manual  training  course. 

Moreover,  there  seems  to  be  no  need  at  present  for  the  trade 
school  in  Minneapolis.  While  in  some  cities  the  number  of  chil- 
dren leaving  school  to  enter  factories  rises  as  high  as  40  per  cent 
to  47  per  cent  (Philadelphia),  in  Minneapolis  it  was  but  15  per 
cent,  54  children  in  all,  though  89  tried  factory  work  at  some  time 
during  the  four  years.  These  were  so  distributed  among  a  large 
number  of  different  manufactories  that  no  group  was  large  enough 
to  indicate  a  demand  that  was  at  all  imperative.  Again,  no  trade 
seems  to  dominate  here;  for  boys  starting  to  work,  the  largest 
number  was  four  in  printing,  and  for  girls  twelve  in  millinery.  The 
number  in  printing  grew  to  twelve  in  1912;  but  only  three  girls 
were  milliners  after  four  years.  The  whole  number,  sixty-four, 
were  scattered  among  twenty-eight  skilled  trades. 

It  should  be  said,  however,  that  the  number  entering  skilled 
trades  in  Minneapolis  is  far  larger  than  in  most  cities.  The  Mas- 
sachusetts Commission,  reporting  on  thousands  of  children,  found 
about  two  per  cent  in  all  skilled  industries,  and  the  Stock  Yards 
Report  shows  ten  per  cent  in  "skilled  and  high  grade  occupations." 
Here  we  find  ten  per  cent  in  the  trades  alone  at  the  very  start,  and 
this  number  rises  to  eighteen  per  cent  at  the  end  of  four  years, — 
an  excellent  showing  for  the  city. 

If  trades  are  to  be  taught,  the  present  situation  points 'to  the 
continuation  school,  which  should  have  for  its  aim  instruction  in  the 
theory  of  the  trade,  while  the  manual  skill  necessary  should  be 
secured  "on  the  job."  The  cost  of  teaching  trades  in  schools  is 
enormous,  in  Milwaukee  reaching  $300  a  year  for  each  person 
taught.  And  Rochester  has  found  that  only  one-sixth  of  the  gradu- 
ates of  their  trade  schools  followed  the  trades  they  had  learned. 

63 


Such  waste  is  unnecessary ;  and  the  opinion  is  gaining  ground  that 
the  continuation  school  idea,  so  well  worked  out  in  Germany,  and 
now  being  established  in  Wisconsin,  leads  in  the  right  direction. 
By  this  means  the  greatest  economy  can  be  secured;  and  nowhere 
can  skill  be  so  well  gained  as  at  work  with  skilled  craftsmen  on 
the  job. 

There  will  always  be  a  large  number  in  our  High  Schools  pre- 
paring for  college.  For  these  the  present  course  of  study  is  well 
suited.  This,  with  the  others,  makes  three  well-defined  lines  to 
pursue :  towards  industry,  towards  business,  and  towards  college. 
And  these  are  the  broad  divisions  along  which  school  courses 
should  be  organized. 

Yet  they  will  never  be  well  organized  until  these  persons  who 
use  the  school  product  are  called  into  conference.  The  colleges 
and  high  schools  are  frequently  in  consultation,  determining  what 
should  be  done  for  that  part  of  our  pupils  which  will  go  into 
college.  But  for  the  larger  fraction  which  enters  business  or  in- 
dustry, the  preparation  is  guided  only  by  those  in  the  schools, 
when  it  should  be  decided  jointly  by  those  who  produce  and  those 
who  must  use  the  product.  If  Germany  has  any  advantages  over 
America  in  her  educational  system,  it  is  due  to  the  fact  that  thirty 
years  ago  she  took  her  industrial  education  out  from  the  control  of 
the  Department  of  Religion  and  Education  and  placed  it  under  the 
Department  of  Industry  and  Commerce.  A  Commission  of  men 
interested  in  education,  educators,  business  men,  manufacturers, 
contractors,  and  laboring  men,  should  study  this  question  together, 
and  report  their  conclusions  to  the  Board  of  Education.  These 
conclusions  might  be  only  the  present  defects  in  the  work  of  the 
schools;  but  even  such  a  report  would  be  worth  much.  If  to  this 
they  should  add  the  needs  of  business  and  industry,  their  findings 
would  have  a  greatly  increased  value. 

Moreover  such  a  Commission  should  serve  continuously.  Busi- 
ness methods  change  so  quickly  that  five  years  puts  any  course 
of  study  into  the  junk  pile.  And  in  methods  of  production,  the 
change  is  kaleidoscopic.  Machines  do  almost  everything  that  fifty 
years  ago  was  done  by  hand.  The  factory  population  increased 
forty  per  cent  in  the  last  ten  years  as  against  a  gain  of  twenty- 
one  per  cent  in  total  population.  Such  a  rapid  growth  indicates 
a  phenomenal  change  in  the  methods  of  production.  The  schools 
must  be  kept  in  touch  with  the  living  conditions  of  to-day ;  and  the 
only  way  to  accomplish  this  is  through  a  Commission  of  the  men 
who  are  making  these  new  conditions,  and  know  the  present  needs. 


G4 


Business   ana   Industry. 


On  the  whole,  the  Survey  has  shown  a  very  satisfactory  condi- 
tion among  this  group  at  work.  There  seems  to  be  an  opportunity 
for  every  one  who  wants  to  work ;  and  the  wages,  in  most  cases,  are 
fair.  The  remarkable  record  of  the  whole  group  in  the  matter  of 
idleness  shows  clearly  that  work  can  be  secured.  When  220  boys 
are  idle  an  average  of  only  eleven  days  a  year,  conditions  in  busi- 
ness and  industry  must  be  excellent.  This  is  only  three  and  a  half 
per  cent  of  the  time,  while  the  average  in  Chicago  reaches  37  per 
cent.  Another  interesting  feature  in  the  table  showing  idleness  is 
this:  idleness  decreased  as  intelligence  increased.  The  non-gradu- 
ate averaged  13J^  days  a  year;  the  graduate  averaged  11  days  a 
year;  and  the  high  school  boy  averaged  3^  days  a  year.  Few  men 
do  better. 

Closely  related  to  this  is  the  number  of  places  in  'which  the 
group  worked.  Here  again  intelligence  shows  its  value.  The  non- 
graduate  knocked  about  more  than  the  graduate  or  high  school 
pupil,  one  of  them  holding  sixteen  different  jobs  in  seven  different 
occupations,  The  average  number  of  occupations  was  2.15  for 
the  high  school  boy  and  3.4  for  the  non-graduate.  The  high  school 
boy  averaged  3.53  jobs ;  the  non-graduate  4.75  jobs.  Age  also  made 
a  difference,  the  sixteen  year  old  high  school  boy  making  the  wisest 
choice  of  occupations,  and  finding  his  opportunity  in  advancement 
rather  than  by  change  to  another  place. 

So,  too,  in  the  matter  of  wages,  intelligence,  measured  by  ad- 
vancement in  school,  is  a  determining  factor  among  the  boys.  Un- 
fortunately it  makes  too  little  difference  among  the  girls.  The 
high  school  boy  starts  at  $1.21  a  week  better  than  the  non-graduate, 
and  at  the  end  of  four  years  has  increased  his  wages  $9.22  a  week 
against  the  non-graduate's  increase  of  $7.36.  This  leaves  them 
$3.07  apart  in  four  years ;  and  it  is  safe  to  prophesy  that  at  the 
age  of  25  the  difference  will  be  $8.00  to  $10.00  a  week.  The  Mas- 
sachusetts commission  reported  a  difference  in  the  wages  of  shop- 
trained  boys  and  those  school-trained  to  be  $4.00  at  18  years  of 
age,  but  $18.25  at  25  years  of  age.  No  stronger  argument  for  more 
education  can  be  placed  in  our  schools  than  a  chart  showing  these 
salary  increases.  At  present  one  thing  is  lacking  in  this  city;  there 
is  no  report  on  high-school  graduates. 

For  the  girls  the  conditions  are  not  so  favorable.  A  small  table 
will  show  the  reader  at  a  glance  the  situation. 


65 


Non-graduates     Graduates        High  School 

At   starting   3.58  3.96  6 

14  years        In  4  years  _ _ 6.69  9.32  9.33 

Gain    3.J1  5.36  3.33 

At  starting  „ 4.90  4.94  5.39 

15  years        In  4  years  9.70  11.06  9.24 

Gain -4.80  6.12  3.85 

At  starting  3.98  3.75  5.19 

16  years        In  4  years  - - ~ — 6.50  8.95  8.42 

Gain  ..._ 2.52  5.20  3.23 

This  shows  plainly  that  neither  age  nor  grade,  nor  both  com- 
bined accomplish  much  for  the  advancement  of  the  girls.  They 
seem  to  stick  at  about  $9.00  a  week  for  high  mark. 

Another  comparison  will  help  to  an  understanding  of  the  con- 
dition. If  a  line  be  drawn  dividing  both  boys  and  girls  into  two 
groups:  those  whose  increase  in  wages  has  been  more  than  $5.00, 
and  those  whose  increase  has  been  less  than  $5.00,  these  results 
are  secured.  Of  boys,  47  gained  less  than  $5.00,  21.3%  of  all  boys; 
of  girls,  91  gained  less  than  $5.00,  or  69%  of  all  girls.  The  com- 
plement of  this  is :  of  boys,  183  gained  more  than  $5.00,  79.6%  of 
all  the  boys;  of  girls,  41  gained  more  than  $5.00,  31%  of  all  girls. 
It  was  because  of  the  very  low  initial  wage,  $2.50 — $3.50,  paid  to 
girls,  and  the  further  fact  that  for  many  kinds  of  work  advance- 
ment commensurate  with  service  rendered  could  not  be  obtained, 
that  the  Committee  favored  a  minimum  wage  law  for  girls  and 
women. 

When  we  compare  wages  here  with  those  reported  by  other 
cities,  the  results  are  gratifying.  The  common  wage  reported  by 
several  cities  for  boys  entering  industry  at  fourteen  to  sixteen  is 
$4.25 ;  and  for  girls  it  varies  from  $3.61  to  $4.26.  Not  many  cities 
have  made  a  study  covering  four  years,  so  the  gain  can  not  be  re- 
ported, except  in  Massachusetts.  They  found  the  average  wage 
of  boys  at  fourteen  years  to  be  $4.00,  and  at  eighteen  to  be  $7.00. 
Now  in  Minneapolis  the  average  for  boys  at  starting  was  not  far 
from  $6.00,  and  in  four  years  it  is  about  $14.00,  a  gain  of  $8.00  a 
week.  For  girls  an  initial  wage  of  $4.17  for  the  non-  graduate,  and 
$5.52  for  the  high  school  girl  changed  to  $7.75  and  $9.12  for  each 
class  respectively,  a  gain  of  about  $3.50  a  week.  All  this  indicates 
that  the  city  is  a  good  place  to  work  in. 


66 


Vocational   Guid 


ance. 


Vocational  guidance  has  three  functions  to  perform-  it  must 
u lbrttiie  world  to  which  boys  and  girls  must  go;  it  must  know 
the  child,  his  powers,  his  desires,  and  his  weaknesses;  then  it  must 
strive  to  fit  the  child  for  the  job  and  the  job  to  the  boy. 

In  this  survey  little  has  been  done  with  the  industries,  except 
as  reports  have  been  made  upon  them  by  the  boys  and  girls  at  work. 
It  is,  however,  a  very  important  matter  to  have  a  clear  picture  of 
a  city's  opportunities  and  pitfalls.  How  can  a  child  of  sixteen  know 
what  he  will  find  when  he  goes  forth  in  search  of  a  job?  Many 
easy  jobs  with  good  pay  at  the  beginning  are  really  poor  jobs,  if 
there  is  little  to  learn  and  the  years  bring  no  increase  in  responsibil- 
ity or  advance  in  wages.  And  a  hard  place  may  be  the  very  best, 
if  the  toil  brings  increase  in  skill  or  knowledge,  making  service  so 
valuable  that  high  wages  must  be  paid  to  retain  them.  That  this 
new  world  to  which  youth  goes  may  not  be  an  unknown  region,  a 
very  careful  survey  of  the  business  and  industries  should  be  made. 
Reports  should  be  formulated  upon  the  facts  gathered,  and  pub- 
lished for  use  in  schools  and  homes  for  the  guidance  of  youth  in 
the  selection  of  occupations. 

Moreover,  this  survey  should  include  the  physical  and  moral 
conditions  of  each  occupation.  It  is  the  right  of  every  youth  to 
know  whether  the  sanitation,  the  hours  of  labor,  and  the  speed  are 
calculated  to  throw  him  into  the  industrial  junk  pile  at  forty;  or 
whether  he  will  still  retain  his  maximum  earning  power  until 
sixty.  And  what  is  even  more  important,  both  boys  and  girls  should 
know  the  moral  hazard  of  each  occupation  they  consider.  In  some 
of  them  a  youth  may  not  gain  the  whole  world,  but  he  is  pretty 
sure  to  lose  his  own  soul.  No  father  or  mother  should  for  an 
instant  consider  any  occupation  in  which  honor  or  chastity  have 
been  given  in  exchange  for  wages.  A  good  salary  purchased  with 
a  life  or  a  character  can  recommend  no  occupation. 

Not  only  must  the  industrial  world  be  known,  but  the  child, 
too,  must  be  understood.  His  teachers  must  watch  him  and  find 
out  what  he  can  do  and  what  he  likes  to  do.  As  it  is  now,  children 
have  to  try  a  number  of  occupations  before  they  find  their  place. 
Some  become  worthless  in  the  continuous  change.  With  a  com- 
plete record  from  year  to  year  of  all  the  tendencies  of  the  child, 
with  knowledge  of  the  child  gained  from  his  parents  in  the  home, 
with  a  careful  examination  of  him  to  determine  any  physical  weak- 
ness or  defect,  or  any  peculiar  physical  power,  it  would  surely  be 
possible  to  give  some  wise  guidance  that  would  at  once  set  him 
in  the  way  to  his  surest  success.  That  such  facts  may  be  collected 
and  tabulated,  the  Committee  recommends  a  set  of  three  cards, 
which  shall  follow  the  child  and  place  in  the  hands  of  his  vocational 
adviser  a  fund  of  information  to  assist  in  the  choice  of  his  life's 
work.  Then  it  should  be  the  duty  of  the  school  to  arrange  a  child's 
work  in  school  so  that  he  shall  make  the  most  of  his  powers.  Place 


67 


• 


before  the  fourteen  year  old  boy  his  future  as  it  has  been  deter- 
mined after  careful  study,  then  put  before  him  the  means  of  pre- 
paring for  the  life,  and  there  is  a  motive  for  study  and  work.  Then 
children  will  not  fly  from  our  schools  because  they  are  not  worth 
while;  but  they  will  remain,  knowing  that  the  expense  and  time 
will  be  repaid  many  times  by  increased  skill  or  knowledge  and 
increased  pay. 

To  do  all  these  things  requires  labor.  Teachers  would  have 
to  study  children  as  they  have  never  done  before.  The  environment 
must  be  known,  too ;  and  that  necessitates  visits  to  the  home.  But 
schools  will  be  better  and  teaching  will  be  better  when  this  relation 
with  the  home  is  established.  One  thing  the  teachers  cannot  do ; 
they  cannot  make  the  surveys  of  the  city.  The  Board  of  Education 
must  do  this ;  and  when  one  considers  the  rapid  changes  in  Minne- 
apolis, the  work  must  be  continuous,  else  we  shall  be  preparing 
boys  and  girls  for  jobs  that  have  ceased  to  be,  while  other  occupa- 
tions will  be  in  need.  And  the  Board  of  Education  should  organize 
a  Department  *  of  Vocational  Guidance,  with  experts  to  advise 
youths.  This  Department  should  include  the  work  done  by  Mr. 
Ashworth.  By  this  Department,  too,  should  be  kept  a  complete 
record  of  all  boys  and  girls,  setting  out  each  change  in  position 
and  wages,  so  that  these  would  »be  a  guide  for  those  coming  later. 
Everything  should  be  done  to  answer  the  call  of  industry,  and  to 
fit  youth  for  his  place  in  this  world. 


SIGNED: 

George  H.  Elwell 
Charles   Fischer 
Anna  Fox 
T.  W.  Gilbert 
George  M.  Gillette 
Frank  Hoffman 
Lydia  Herrick,  Secretary 
Stiles  P.  Jones 
Lowell  E.  Jepson 
Don  D.  Lescohier 
W.  B.  Northrop 

D.  H.  Painter 
Anna  H.  Phelan 

E.  V.  Robinson 
George  E.  Vincent 
Norman  Wilde 

W.  F.  Webster,  Chairman 
S.  Wirt  Wiley 


68 


APPENDIX  I. 

WAGES  AND  THE  STANDARD  OF  LIVING  IN 
MINNEAPOLIS. 

Don.  D.  Lescohier 
Frank  M.  Hoffman 

State  Labor  Bureau. 


69 


Next  to  his  chance  of  a  wife  and  of  his  moral  standards  the  most 
important  choice  that  a  boy  makes  is  the  choice  of  his  vocation. 
And  in  many  cases  his  vocation  determines  both  of  the  others.  His 
vocation  directly  affects  his  health;  his  intelligence  and  his  char- 
acter; it  determines  his  income,  and  through  his  income  his  stand- 
ard of  life,  his  and  his  children's  opportunity  of  culture,  their  as- 
sociates, and  their  prospects  of  advancement.  These  facts  give 
vital  interest  to  the  question  of  wage  standards  in  the  various  in- 
dustries. 

The  wage  earners  of  Minneapolis  with  their  families  constitute 
nearly  four-fifths  of  the  city's  population.  The  factory  inspection 
report  of  the  state  labor  bureau  for  1910  showed  70,333  wage 
earners  in  the  industries  of  the  city,  8300  of  whom  were  employed 
at  office  work  and  62,032  in  manual  and  mercantile  occupation 
proper.  Eighty-six  branches  of  manufactures  employed  in  the 
manual  occupations  24,829  men  and  boys  and  7404  women ;  the  con- 
tracting industries,  5762;  mercantile  employments  8852  men  and 
3643  women ;  the  public  utilities  (light,  power,  transportation, 
telephone  and  telegraph  industries)  6938  men  and  678  women ;  and 
the  personal  service  industries  (barber  shops,  hotels,  laundries, 
etc.)  2170  men  and  2756  women.  Two  hundred  and  seventy-five 
of  the  persons  employed  in  these  several  branches  were  below 
sixteen  years  of  age,  162  boys  and  113  girls.  Only  21  of  the  boys 
and  three  of  the  girls  were  employed  at  office  work,  the  remainder 
being  at  work  in  the  regular  occupations  of  the  industry. 

The  industrial  distribution  of  the  child  workers,  i.  e.,  the  boys 
and  girls  between  14  and  16  years  of  age,  is  of  some  interest.  It 
can  be  most  concisely  shown  in  tabular  form. 

Boys  Girls 

Office  work   (all  industrial)   21  3 

Manufacturing   „ _ _ ~~ 92  32 

Mercantile 40  63 

Personal  Service  4  13 

Public  Utilities  5  2 

Total  ...  -...162  113 


The  most  recent  figures  on  Minneapolis  wages,  other  than  union 
wages,  are  those  given  by  the  Minnesota  Bureau  of  Labor  in  its 
twelfth  biennial  report,  published  in  1910.  Union  wages  are 
available  for  1912.  (See  Appendix  II)  The  figures  given  in  the 
1910  report  show  that  37%  of  the  male  workers  of  the  state  em- 
ployed in  manufacturing  and  mercantile  industries  are  paid  less 
than  $12.00  a  week;  72.6%  less  than  $15.00;  and  only  6.5%  more 
than  $21.00.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  of  course,  that  a  consider- 
able proportion  of  those  paid  less  than  $12.00  a  week  are  boys  and 
young  men  who  have  not  reached  their  maturity  as  workmen; 

71 


but  it  is  also  true  that  many  thousands  of  these  low  paid  workers 
are  men  with  families  dependent  on  them.  The  facts  are  not  much 
different  for  Minneapolis  than  for  the  state  as  a  whole.  Approxi- 
mately one-half  of  the  wage  earners  of  the  state  are  in  the  three 
large  cities,  while  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  others  are  in 
cities — such  as  Brainerd,  Red  Wing,  and  Winona — where  trade 
unions  have  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  great  an  influence  on  wages  as 
in  the  large  cities.  Wages  would  be  slightly  higher  in  the  general 
industries  of  Minneapolis  than  in  the  state,  but  the  difference  would 
not  be  large.  In  both  cases  it  would  be  true  that  between  two- 
thirds  and  three-fourths  of  the  adult  males  with  families  to  support 
earn  from  $10.00  to  $15.00  a  week. 

With  respect  to  women's  wages  the  same  report  shows  the 
following  facts  for  the  women  workers  of  the  state : 

Group  Cumulative 

Pet.  Pet. 

Less  than  $5.00  10% 

$  5.00  but  less  than  $  6.00  19  Below  $  6.00  a  week  29% 

$  6.00  but  less  than  $  7.00 18  Below  $  7.00  a  week  47 

$  7.00  but  less  than  $  8.00  _._ 13  Below  $  8.00  a  week  60 

$  8.00  but  less  than  $  9.00  _ 10  Below  $  9.00  a  week  70 

$  9.00  but  less  than  $10.00 18  Below  $10.00  a  week  88 

$10.00  and  more  12  $10.00  and  over  100 

A  detailed  presentation  of  the  earnings  of  the  70,000  wage 
earners  of  Minneapolis  is  not  required  for  the  purposes  of  this 
report  and  we  shall  attempt  no  more  than  to  indicate  the  wage 
rates  prevalent  in  some  of  the  leading  industries  and  occupations. 
Wherever  possible  we  shall  use  data  compiled  from  Minneapolis 
industries,  but  in  a  few  cases  where  Minneapolis  data  is  scanty  we 
will  use  the  figures  compiled  for  the  entire  state.  As  we  have  said 
previously,  these  do  not  vary  materially  from  the  facts  for  Minne- 
apolis. 

The  largest  industry  in  the  city  in  point  of  number  of  persons 
employed  is  the  woodworking  industry,  which  employs  about  8,000 
persons.  It  is  not  an  industry  of  high  wages,  though  some  branches 
of  the  industry  make  a  much  better  showing  than  others.  Ap- 
proximately 52%  of  the  males  at  work  in  sawmills  and  wood- 
working factories  earn  less  than  $12.00  a  week ;  25  per  cent,  between 
$12.00  and  $15.00;  13  per  cent,  between  $15.00  and  $18.00;  7  per  cent, 
between  $18.00  and  $20.00 ;  and  3  per  cent,  $20.00  or  more.  A  large 
proportion  of  those  paid  below  $12.00  a  week  are  young  men  with- 
out families  dependent  on  them  and  the  reader  is  warned  against 
the  common  fallacy  of  reasoning  as  if  they  were  all  men  with 
families  dependent  upon  them.  Nevertheless,  many  are  such  men. 
More  significant,  however,  than  the  large  percentage  paid  below 

NOTE: — We  have  in  our  possession  a  separate  tabulation  of  Minneapolis 
wages  which  will  conclusively  support  this  statement. 

72 


$12.00  a  week,  is  the  fact  that  fully  one-half  of  all  the  workers  in 
the  industry  are  paid  from  $10.00  to  $16.00,  which  indicates  that 
the  large  group  of  young  men  working  in  their  youth  for  less  than 
$12.00  a  week,  have  little  prospect  of  appreciably  higher  earnings 
when  they  reach  their  maturity. 

The  facts  vary  somewhat  for  the  various  branches  of  the  wood 
industries,  and  are  shown  by  the  following  summary: 

PERCENTAGE   OF   MALES 

From  From  From  $20  and 

Below  $12  $12  to  $15  $15  to  $18  $18  to  $20  over 

1.  General  Woodworking 23%  25%  13%  7%  2% 

2.  Wagon  and  Sleigh 52%  26%  11%  9%  2% 

3.  Box  Manufacturing 47%  37%  9%  3%  4% 

4.  Saw  Mills _ „ _ 37%  44%  10%  4%  5% 

5.  Furniture  Mfg 28%  29%  29%  8%  6% 

6.  Sash  and  Door  _ _..„ 20%  31%  32%  11%  6% 

More  than  one-half  (53%)  of  the  girls  and  women  employed  in 
wood  working  factories  were  earning  $6.00  but  less  than  $7.00; 
18.5%,  $7.00  but  less  than  $8.00;  and  5.50%,  $8.00  but  less  than 
$9.00.  Practically  none  were  paid  less  than  $6.00,  and  23%  earned 
$9.00  or  more. 

The  foundries,  machine  shops  and  metal  working  industries  form 
another  important  group  of  manufacturing  employments.  Over 
5,000  men  (5223)  were  reported  by  these  industries  in  1910.  The 
distribution  by  wage  groups  was  as  follows: 

Foundries  and  Sheet 
Machine  Shops           Metal  Trades 

Below  $9.00  a  week  5%  9% 

$  9.00  but  less  than  $12  24%  10% 

$12.00  but  less  than  $15  32%  26% 

$15.00  but  less  than  $18  14%  12% 

$18.00  but  less  than  $21  16%  21% 

$21.00  and  over  _.. 9%  22% 

The  iron  industries  therefore  present  a  more  hopeful  outlook 
to  the  young  man  than  do  the  wood  industries.  Earnings  above 
$15.00  a  week  are  obtained  by  nearly  half  of  the  men  in  the  industry 
and  earnings  above  $18.00  by  fully  a  third. 

Flour  milling,  the  industry  for  which  Minneapolis  is  most  wide- 
ly known,  employed,  in  1910,  2726  persons,  of  whom  approximately 

NOTE: — Wherever  such  an  expression  as  " between  $12.00  and  $15.00 "  is 
used,  it  really  means  ''from  $12.00  to  $14.99,  inclusive."  In  other  words,  it 
means  "up  to,  but  not  including"  the  larger  figure. 

73 


200  were  women.  Wages  in  the  mills  commonly  range  from  $9.00 
to  $20.00  a  week.  Only  about  3  per  cent  of  the  entire  force  earn 
$21.00  a  week  or  over.  About  a  fifth  of  the  total  force  (19.5%) 
are  paid  less  than  $12.00  a  week;  half  of  them,  from  $12.00  to 
$15.00;  another  fifth  (18.5%),  from  $15.00  to  $18.00;  and  about 
10  per  cent,  from  $18.00  to  $21.00. 

The  143  women  reported  by  the  industry  were  largely  office 
employes,  and  their  average  wage  is  therefore  high.  Only  5  per 
cent  are  paid  less  than  $6.00  and  14  per  cent,  between  $6.00  and 
$7.00  a  week.  Twenty-eight  per  cent  are  paid  between  $7.00  and 
$10.00,  and  53  per  cent,  $10.00  or  over. 

The  other  food  manufactures  employed  in  all  about  2800  per- 
sons ;  of  whom  754  were  in  bakeries ;  534,  in  confectionery  manu- 
facturies;  365,  in  creameries  and  ice  cream  factories;  and  1155,  in 
miscellaneous  food  manufactures.  The  wage  distribution  in  the 
various  groups  was  as  follows : 

MALES— PERCENT  EARNING. 

$20  and 
Below  $12     $12-$15.       $15-$18       $18-$20  over 

Bakeries -     12%  22%  38%  14%  14% 

Confections  and  crackers  —     59%  22%  15%  4%  

Creameries 36%  27%  12%  15%  10% 

Misc.  Food  Mfg 46%  33%  9%  7%  5% 

FEMALES— PERCENT  EARNING. 

$9  and 

Below  $5       $5-$6  $6-$7  $7-$8  $8-$9  over 

Bakeries  23%  14%  8% 

Conf.  &  Crack 44%  9%  12%  26%  „..„ 9% 

Creameries  _ 23%  62%  15% 

Misc.  Food.  Mfg.™     28%  11%  25%  10%  9%  17% 

The  facts  for  a  few  other  leading  industries  may  be  summarized 
as  follows : 

MALE  EMPLOYES. 

$20  and 

Below  $12     $12-$15       $15-$18  $18-$20  over 

Printing   and   Publishing 24%             19%             10%  17%  30% 

Boots,    Shoes    and    Leather 

Products 23%             28%             18%  9%  22% 

Telephone  28%             18%             33%  11%  10% 

Street  Railways  7%             43%             23%  22%  5% 

Laundries  32%             23%             34%  11%  

Wholesale  Mercantile  23%             30%             15%  7%  25% 

Railroad       Shops,       Round 

Houses,   Car   Repairers. 20%             55%             11%  7%  7% 

74 


FEMALE  EMPLOYES   (of  state) 

Less  $5.00-  $6.00-  $7.00-  $8.00-  $9.00 

than  $5.00  $6.00  $7.00  $8.00  $9.00  &  over 

Printing         5%  3%  6%  6%  6%  74% 

Bag    Mfg 8%  26%  18%  8%  40% 

Garment   Mfg 10%  5%  21%  20%  19%  25% 

Paper  Boxes  13%  7%  15%  12%  7%  46% 

Department  Stores     15%  2%  11%  6%  5%  61% 

Cigar  Making  8%  8%  6%  3%  2%  73% 

Knitting  Mills  1%  3%  1%  95% 

Laundries    9%  4%  27%  20%  6%  34% 

In  addition  to  the  industry  averages  which  we  have  been  pre- 
senting and  the  trade  union  rates  of  wages  that  we  shall  call  at- 
tention to  in  a  moment,  it  is  worth  while  to  note  the  earnings  in 
certain  well  denned  occupations  which  illustrate  typically  the  pre- 
vailing incomes  of  wage  earners.  Teamsters  are  ordinarily  paid 
from  $12.00  to  $15.00  a  week  in  Minneapolis,  though  about  a  fourth 
of  the  entire  number  reported  earned  higher  wages, — generally 
$3.00  a  day.  Harness  makers  make  from  $2.50  to  $3.50  a  day, 
with  about  $3.00  a  day — $18.00  a  week — as  the  normal  wage.  Up- 
holsterers are  about  equally  divided  between  $15.00  to  $18.00  a  week 
and  the  $18.00  to  $20.00  groups.  Bakers  in  most  cases  receive 
close  to  $3.00  a  day — a  few  earning  more,  and  about  a  fifth  of  them 
less.  The  wages  of  salesmen  commonly  range  from  $2.00  to  $3.50 
a  day,  though  exceptional  men  sometimes  earn  a  higher  wage,  and 
promotion  to  positions  of  management  is  an  ever-present  possibil- 
ity. The  prevailing  rates  for  office  clerks,  i.  e.  bookkeepers, 
cashiers,  etc.,  are  from  $12.00  to  $15.00  a  week,  though  a  consider- 
able number  earn  more  than  $15.00  a  week  who  have  displayed 
especial  abilities. 

The  wages  of  common  laborers  range  from  $9.00  a  week  to 
$15.00,  with  the  great  majority  earning  from  $10.50  to  $15.00. 

About  a  third  of  the  girls  and  women  employed  as  seamstresses 
earns  from  $6.00  to  $7.00  a  week;  60  per  cent,  from  $9.00  to  $10.00; 
and  7  per  cent,  over  $10.00.  Stenographers  commonly  receive  from 
$9.00  to  $15.00  a  week,  after  they  have  had  experience;  though  a 
few  work  for  less  than  $9.00,  and  some  with  exceptional  ability 
earn  from  $75.00  to  $125.00  a  month. 

Telephone  operators  were  distributed  among  the  wage  groups 
as  follows:  22  per  cent  below  $5.00;  30  per  cent  from  $5.00  to 
$6.00;  20  per  cent  from  $6.00  to  $7.00;  11  per  cent  from  $7.00  to 
$8.00;  10  per  cent  from  $8.00  to  $9.00;  and  7  per  cent,  $9.00  and 
over.  The  wages  of  dressmakers  are  generally  between  $1.50  and 
$2.50  a  day  when  working  either  for  private  customers  or  for  de- 
partment stores,  garment  factories  and  other  employers. 

Union  wages  in  Minneapolis  in  1912  are  given  in  Appendix  II. 
They  average  $3.95  a  day — an  increase  of  70  cents  over  the  $3.25 
average  prevalent  in  1908  and  of  $1.00  over  the  $2.95  average  in 
1902.  This  represents  an  increase  of  34  per  cent  during  the  last 
decade  or,  in  effect,  since  the  recovery  of  business  after  the  de- 

75 


pression  of  the  nineties.     Very  few  wage  increases  were  obtained 
between  1898  and  1902,  and  of  course  none  during  the  depression. 

The  rise  of  food  prices  during  the  fifteen  years  in  question 
has  been  65  per  cent,  of  rent  in  Minneapolis  about  30  per  cent,  of 
general  wages  between  20  per  cent  and  25  per  cent,  of  union  wages 
in  Minnesota  31  per  cent,  and  of  union  wages  in  Minneapolis  34 
per  cent.  A  part  of  the  wide  divergence  between  the  rise  of  com- 
modity prices  and  the  rise  of  wages  is  due  to  the  facts  that  prices 
always  rise  before  and  more  rapidly  than  wages;  that  23  per  cent 
of  the  price  increases  has  occurred  in  the  last  two  years  and  wages 
have  not  had  time  to  advance  materially  in  response  to  the  price 
movement ;  and  to  the  rapidity  of  the  increase  in  commodity  prices. 

The  investigation  of  family  incomes  and  expenditures  conducted 
by  the  state  labor  bureau  in  1910  showed  that  the  average  number 
of  rooms  occupied  by  working  men's  families  in  Minneapolis  had 
decreased  from  5.94  rooms  to  4.77  rooms  between  1890  and  1910; 
that  the  average  rent  per  family  had  increased  but  slightly ;  and 
that  the  average  rent  per  room  had  increased  28  per  cent.  In  other 
words,  the  working  people  of  Minneapolis  have  met  the  rise  in 
rents  and  prices  of  the  last  twenty  years  by  lowering  their  standard 
of  housing — at  least  with  respect  to  the  amount  of  room  used. 
With  food,  clothing,  and  miscellaneous  expenses  rising  steadily, 
and  more  rapidly  than  wages,  it  is  not  strange  that  rent  has  been 
kept  down  as  low  as  possible.  Rent  is  an  elastic  cost  and  a  family 
can  live  in  fewer  rooms  more  easily  than  it  can  reduce  its  loaves 
ot  bread  or  its  amount  of  clothes. 

Rent  and  food  constitutes  three-fourths  of  the  average  working- 
man's  expenditures,  and  it  is  only  the  highest  priced  workmen  or 
those  with  abnormally  small  families  that  can  keep  these  two 
items  from  consuming  60  per  cent  of  their  earnings.  The  pressure 
of  current  living  costs  upon  workingmen's  incomes  was  clearly 
shown  by  the  labor  bureau's  1910  investigation,  but  must  be  much 
more  intense  since  the  23  per  cent  rise  of  prices  of  the  last  two 
years.  A  family  of  five  has  a  hard  time  to  make  ends  meet  on 
earnings  of  $15.00  a  week  when  work  is  steady  and  no  abnormal 
expenses,  such  as  those  for  sickness  or  accident,  are  incurred.  The 
least  that  can  be  expected  if  the  present  pressure  of  workingmen's 
expenditure  on  their  incomes  continues  is  a  diminution  of  the  birth 
rate  among  the  best  classes  of  wage  earners.  Either  that,  or  a 
marked  rise  of  wages,  or  a  fall  in  the  standard  of  living,  must  take 
place,  with  respect  to  a  majority  of  the  wage  earners.  In  fact, 
all  of  these  results  are  being  worked  out  in  the  cases  of  various 
families  and  groups.  Observers  have  already  begun  to  notice  the 
falling  off  of  the  birth  rate  among  the  skilled  mechanics  and  higher 
grades  of  laborers ;  the  fall  in  housing  standards  is  only  indicative 
of  decreases  in  food  and  clothing  standards  that  can  be  observed 
in  many  families;  and  wage  increases  are  taking  place  in  various 
trades  and  occupations.  The  switch  man's  wife  testifying  before 
the  arbitration  board  expressed  the  experience  of  many  families 
when  she  said,  "If  I  fed  the  children  what  they  ought  to  have 
to  eat  there  would  not  be  enough  to  go  around.  We  can  afford 

'     76 


meat  only  once  a  week,  we  use  imitation  butter,  and  we  do  not  eat 
eggs."  And  also  the  other  one  who  said,  "  I  used  to  allow  $30.00 
a  month  for  the  table  for  a  family  of  three.  It  costs  $45.00  now, 
and  we  don't  live  so  well." 

The  facts  ascertained  in  Minneapolis  with  respect  to  rents 
brought  out  very  clearly  the  difficulty  that  normal  sized  families 
encounter  in  making  ends  meet  on  an  income  of  from  $12.00  to 
$15.00  a  week.  As  families  with  this  income,  which  we  have  shown 
is  the  income  secured  by  close  to  three-fourths  of  the  wage  earners 
of  Minneapolis,  and  more  than  the  income  of  thousands,  increase 
in  size  it  was  found  that  their  rent  expenditures  decreased  rather 
than  increased.  This,  of  course,  is  just  the  reverse  of  the  normal 
situation.  As  the  family  increases  in  size,  from  three  persons  to 
more  than  three,  it  should  be  moving  into  larger  rather  than  smaller 
quarters,  and  spending  more  rather  than  less  money  for  rent.  When 
the  increase  in  food  costs  incident  to  an  increase  in  the  size  of 
the  family  forces  poorer  housing  upon  the  family,  it  means  that 
the  minimum  amount  had  previously  been  set  aside  for  medicine, 
clothes,  recreation,  etc.,  under  the  first  condition,  and  that  the  only 
place  from  which  the  amount  needed  for  more  food  could  be  secured 
was  the  elastic  element,  rent. 

That  this  is  an  anomaly  is  shown  by  an  examination  of  the 
more  highly  paid  groups  studied  in  the  same  investigation.  In 
these  cases  rents,  as  well  a  food  costs,  increased  with  the  growth 
of  the  family,  and  the  amount  set  aside  for  clothing,  recreation,  etc., 
was  the  one  reduced. 

The  inevitable  conclusion  from  these  facts  seems  to  be  that  at 
the  present  time  an  income  of  $15.00  a  week  is  barely  sufficient  for 
a  normal  sized  family's  need  when  employment  is  reasonably 
steady,  and  no  unusual  adversity  comes.  And  the  conclusion  equal- 
ly inevitable  that  the  vast  majority  of  Minnesota's  (and  Minne- 
apolis') wage  earners  are  earning  barely  enough  for  subsistence. 

(1)  Training  and  counsel  that  will  lead  to  a  more  efficient  use  and 
sale  of  his  labor  power  by  the  wage  earner  is  a  crying  need  of  our 
times.  The  diversion  of  labor  from  the  poorest  paid  employments 
and  its  training  along  lines  of  higher  efficiency  will  help  the  wage 
earners  to  reach  a  permanently  higher  wage  level.  Even  more  can 
be  accomplished  by  a  healthy  public  sentiment  demanding  that  the 
wage  earner  shall  profit  at  least  as  much  as  his  employer  by  the 
rise  of  prices. 

(1)  This  point  may  occur  to  someone.  "If  they  are  earning  barely  enough 
for  subsistence  how  they  can  afford  picture  shows,  lodges,  and  other  pleasures 
or  associations  that  cost  money?"  The  answer  is  simple.  Recreation  is  a  crav- 
ing that  will  be  satisfied  even  if  real  necessities  are  thereby  sacrificed.  Nothing 
in  this  field  of  economics  has  been  more  substantially  proved  in  recent  years  than 
the  prevalence  of  insufficient  food  and  insufficient  clothes  among  the  working 
classes.  Many  of  these  legitimate  pleasures  and  activities  are  obtained  by  a  sac- 
rifice of  things  which,  at  least  physically,  seem  to  us  more  necessary.  No  one 
wants  to  merely  toil  all  his  life,  and  those  persons  who  criticize  the  wage  earners 
at  this  point  overlook  some  of  the  fundamentals  of  human  nature. 

77 


APPENDIX  II. 

SCHEDULE  OF  WAGES  AND  HOURS  OF  LABOR  FOR 
UNIONS  OF  MINNEAPOLIS. 


1912. 


79 


APPENDIX  II. 


SCHEDULE  OE  WAGES  AND  HOURS  OF  LABOR 
FOR  UNIONS  OF  MINNEAPOLIS. 

1912. 


UNION  SCHEDULE  OF 


Local  Union                               Ho 

urs 

Wages 

Daily 

Weekly 

Male     Female 

Bakery   and  Confectionery  Workers' 

Union     „  9 

54 

$2.70 

Barbers'     Union    11 

71 

2.33 

Bill    Posters'    and    Billers'    Alliance  10 

52 

2.50-4.00 

Blacksmiths    and    Helpers',    Brother- 

hood   of    9 

54 

1.98-3.15 

Bookbinders,    Brotherhood   of                   9 

49 

3.24 

Brewers'    and   Malsters'    Union   8 

48 

3.25 

Beer    Drivers'     Union                               10 

60 

2.50-3.08 

Beer    Bottlers'    Union    8 

48 

2.67 

Bricklayers'  and  Masons'  Union  No. 

2    (Bricklayers)    8 

48 

5.20 

Bricklayers'  and  Masons'  Union  No. 

5    (Stonemasons1)    8 

48 

4.40 

Bridge    and    Structural    Iron    Work- 

ers'  Ass'n  8 

48 

4.50 

Broom    and    Whisk    Makers'    Union     9 

54 

2.50 

Carmen,    Brotherhood     of     Railway, 

No.    112    10 

60 

2.25 

Carmen,    Brotherhood     of'     Railway, 

No.     520     10 

60 

2.45 

Cabinet  Makers'  Union  _  9 

54 

3.00 

Carpenters'   and  Jointers'    Union  8 

48 

4.00 

Parquet    Floor   Layers'    Union   8 

48 

4.00 

Cigar    Makers'     Union                                8 

48 

2.25         2.25 

Clerks'    Ass'n     Retail                                 9% 

57 

2.50         1.16 

Conductors,    Order   of    Railway    10 

70 

4.50-5.50 

Coopers'    Union   No.    26   10 

64 

2.20 

Coopers'    Union    No.    62    8 

48 

3.00-3.20 

Coopers'    Union     No.      75      Machine 

Operators     ,  _  1  0 

60 

3.00 

Electrical    Workers'    Union    No.    24 

(Linemen)                    .  ..                            9 

54 

3.08 

Electrical   Workers'    Union    No.    292 

(Inside  Wiremen)   8 

48 

4.00 

Electrical   Workers'    Union   No.    541 

(Fixture  assemblers  and  hangers)      8 

48 

3.50 

Stereotypers'       and       Electrotypers' 

Union  No.   97    (Electrotypers)    9 

54 

3.00 

Stereotypers'       and       Electrotypers' 
Union  No.   16    (Stereotypers)    8 

48 

3.25 

Elevator    Constructors'     Union     8 

48 

2.40-4.00 

Remarks 


Day    and    piece 
work 

Blacksmith 

$3.15 
Helpers  $1.98 


Regular    drivers 

3.08 

Helpers  $2.50 
Barn  Men  $2.66 


Piece  work 
Average   earn- 
ing 

Average    wages. 

Passenger  $5.50 

Freight  $4.50 

Piece   work 

Average        earn- 
ings 


Machinists  $4.00 
Helpers  $2.40 


81 


Local  Union 


Hours 
Daily    Weekly 


Engineers'    Union    (Stationary)    8  48 

Engineers'    Union     (Hoisting)     9  54 

Engineers,    Brotherhood   of    Locomo- 
tive   No.    357    10  70 

Engineers,    Brotherhood    of    Locomo- 
tive  No.    494   - 10  70 


Engineers,  Brotherhood  of  Locomo- 
tive No.  625  10  70 

Firemen  and  Engineers  Brotherhood 

of  Locomotive,  No.  82  ~. ~  10  70 

Firemen  and  Engineers  Brotherhood 

of  Locomotive,  No.  510  10  70 


Firemen's    Union    Stationary    8  56 

Freight  Handlers'  Union,  No.  89  ....-  10  60 

Freight  Handlers'  Union,  No.  142  10  60 

Freight  Handlers'   Union,  No.  172  ...  10  60 

Garment    Workers'     Union    9  54 

Glass   Workers'    Union    (Cut   Glass)      9%  55 


Granite    Cutters'    Ass'n 8 

Hod   Carriers'    and   Building   Labor- 
ers'    Union    8 

Hotel  and  Restaurant  Employes'  Al- 
liance   and     Bartenders'     League: 

Bartenders'    Union    . — 9 

Cooks'  Union - 10-18 

Waiters'  &  Waitresses'  Union 10-12 

Lathers'     Union    8 

Leather    Workers    on    Horse    Goods, 

United  Ass'n.  of  9 

Lithographers'    Union    ~ 8 

Machinists'    Ass'n.    No.      91      (Con-- 
tract    shops)     - 9-10 

Machinists'    Ass'n.    No.    477     (Rail- 
road shops)    9 

Marble   Workers'    Ass'n 8 

Mineral    and    Soda    Water    Bottlers' 

Uni  on    - - 1 0 

Molders'     Union,    Iron    9 

Musicians'    Union   6 


54-60 

50 

48 

60 
54 
42 


Painters',  Decorators'  and  Paper- 
hangers'  Union,  No.  880  (Sign 
writers)  8  48 

Painters',  Decorators'  and  Paper- 
hangers'  Union,  No.  186  8  48 

Pattern  Makers'   League  9-10   50-54 

Photo     Engravers'     Union     8  48 

Plasterers'    Ass'n 8  44 

Plumbers'  and  Gas  Fitters'  Union, 
No.  15  ...  8 


Sprinkler      Fitters'      and      Helpers' 

Unions,    No.    417    8 

Steam    Fitters'    Union,    No.    539    8 

Press    Assistants'     Union 8 

Pressmen's    Union    8 

Sheet    Metal    Workers'    Union    8 

Stage   Employes'    Union,    Theatrical, 

No.     13     - 6 


48 

48 
48 
48 
48 
48 

42 


Wages 
Male     Female 

3.00 
4.50 

4.25-5.40 


4.25 

4.00 

2.50-3.65 


Remaks 
Average 


Passenger  $5.40 
Freight  $4.25 

Wages  vary  ac- 
cording to  size 
of  engine. 


Wages  vary  ac- 
cording to  size 
of  engine. 


2.50 
2.15 
2.25 
2.25 

2.00-4.00     1.00-3.00    Piece  work 
Wages  vary 

2.50  Mostly  piece 

work 


48 

3.40 

44 

3.25 

59 
60-72 
60-72 

3.00 
2.25 
1.45 

48 

4.00 

54 

2.75 

48 

4.00 

1.25 


Average    wages 


3.15-3.50 

3.70 
2.50-5.00 

2.25 

3.30-3.75 
5.00 


4.00 

3.60 
4.00 
4.50 
5.60 

4.50 

2.50-4.00 
4.50 
2.25 
3.25 
4.00 

3.15 


5.00 


Helpers  $2.50 


Average  earn- 
ings of  regular 
musician. 


Helpers  $2.50 


2.25 


82 


Local  Union 


Hours 


Daily  Weekly 

Moving  Picture   Machine   Operators' 

Union,   No.   219  .............................................  9  63 

Stone  Cutters'   Union  ....................................  8  48 

Suspender  Workers'   Union  .....................  8  48 

Switchmen's    Union    No.    7    ..................  10  60 

Switchmen's  Union  No.  30  .....  -  .................  10  60 

Tailors'    Union    ................................  _  .................  9%        57 

Team   Owners'    Union   No.    21   ............  8-9  48-54 

Hack     and     Cab     Drivers'      Union, 

No.     350     ......................................  ...  12 


Wages 
Male     Female 


3.30 
4.50 
2.00 
3.20 
3.50 
2.25 


Remarks 


84 


Ice    Wagon    Drivers 
Union   No.   221   .., 


and    Helpers' 


Trainmen,  Brotherhood  of  Railroad, 
No.  102  .....................................  ____________________ 

Trainmen,  Brotherhood  of  Railroad, 
No.  625  ..............  „  ...........................................  .... 


10 


10 


60 


70 


Typographical  Union, 
Mailers'  Union  No. 
Upholsterers'  Union 


No.   42  ............... 

27    ........................ 


10  70 

8  48 

8-10  48-60 


9-10   54-59 


1.50         Piece  work 

Average 
4.50  Includes  team 

2.00  Average        earn 

ings. 

2.50-3.07  Drivers   $3.07 

Helpers  $2.50 

2.50  Average 

2.50  Average 

3.89         3.89          Average 
2.00 
2.90-3.25  Railroad  men 

$2.90 

Retail -men 
$3.25 


83 


APPENDIX  III. 

PROPOSED  RECORD  CARDS  FOR  USE  IN 
VOCATIONAL  GUIDANCE. 

1.  PERSONAL  RECORD. 

2.  ATTENDANCE  RECORD. 

3.  PHYSICAL  RECORD. 


85 


PERSONAL  RECORD 


Hune                                                                              /^.M 

DJe  of  birTI, 

Place  of  UtK 

"Father                                                                     „       .         u 

National  itu 

[FatU                                                                                     FatKer 

Otcu.palYoii 

Wloflitr  :  a^a^  fr.OTn  hon,«                                               Education     .footker 

Education  parents  expect  t.  q'lirc  cl>ildU?ad, 

"  0  v 

&s* 

OfUr  facts 

.conceniiflo  fio-me 

,  Dales   of   vi 
L 

S<?S  To  hw«e                                                   ]?/aJe   bH 

0 

»                                            2.                                  5. 

3 

...     .               L                                                             1                                               6. 

ESTIMATE 


TJlamcal  Se^e 

Reliat.l.tu 

TT* 

!  Scientist       " 

I 
•  Lanoaaoe 

Rinctuo-litu 

Aestketic         » 

Persia!    \\^^\c\e^e^                                                                                        Use  «f  £"«£";«  drmKs 

fecu-liarities                                                   "ftleTita!  defects 

Ckild's     Plan  For  Career: 

87 


PHYSICAL   RiTCORP 


TfliTineapoJn    Public 
Depfl-rtmeTTf  of    I 


BirThpJo 


fttWu  HlitoTu 

natianariTii    at   Fn.fl,«>r 


Iftotde 


Tlv-mbtr  ctMr  cfi'ldran 


Cancer 


ttTotkeri        Cod.tien 


rt  disease Specific  disease 


Persotial   Histafij 


Preyion.s   i  \\ne.<u    Scarlet  fevet 


Tf7eou-;les 


* 


•mps 


Typhoid 


IVKooi- 


p^fti 

uxaiq 

natl 

on 

Gradf 

Grade 

Da.te  ct  ei 

raccmat,, 

jua  

Ufircou?  disease 
Heo-rf 

E^tLdtd 

ki  lirnr 

Uittfi 

9K.Ti  di*ea9e 

TflMtalitij 

OrT/»ped.c  dei-eoT 

SEE 

Rack  IMS 

Eff«rT 

AbJ-jmen 

JVffitienci, 

YY*roTi     R 

He.Af 

L 

kr'eiqi.t 

Other  e-^e  disease 

Ck«T  ««tl 

Hsftr.ro  R 

a.«r.u^ 

b«i«n 

^   U 

Mi. 

)i5c(-nroitifl  ear 

Jknjiiiak 

re 

eroafk^o1 

Jfeftibd*. 

SO..CK  ! 

^tr.;t,0. 

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iflAdfi 

>Meno'i(i« 

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88 


T?o.  «. 
Of    St 

tid  dite 

C  laSS  and  Alt. 

Where  AdmlTed 

WKere    Received 

T77,t,n<apoi;«  Public  CtUh 

ATTENDANCE    RECORD 

wesfer 

Grade 

Cla« 

Oa^s 

ScUol 

School 

ScUl 

I 

lame. 

TE 

I 

)a1e  of   UTK 

IT 

Address 

I 

JL 

I 

E 

. 

i 

31 

Date  o|  enrollment 

I 

Place  of  enrollment 

IT: 

T. 

Parent  or  guardian 

IT 

J 

Occu.  potion 

H 

r 

Reasons  for  leafiito 

jr 

/, 

T. 

3T 

a. 

I 

JE 

3. 

I 

TL 

.  r 

TRRPGl/LARTTY    OF  ATTENDANCE 

Other 

IfleUod   of  treatment 

89 


INDEX. 


Page 

Advisory  Commission  7,  64 

Age  of  Children  56,  57 

Analysis  of  Keport 6 

Business  and  Industry 65,  66 

Child-workers  of  Minneapolis 71 

i   Continuation  Schools  63,  64 

Cost  of  living  76-78 

Department  Stores  45 

Distribution  of  Workers  3 

Economic  Status  of  Family  _ _ 25,  26 

^Education  after  leaving  „ 28,  29 

Family  Incomes  76 

Food - 76 

Grades  of  Children  „ 15,  58 

1 ' Had  to  Work"  27 

Idleness 45,  65 

Living  Wage  77 

Minneapolis'  Wages 66 

Nationality  of  Children  12 

Number  of  Jobs  40-43,  65 

Occupations    32-38 

Office  Work '.. 46 

Parental  Condition  24,  25 

:   -Personnel  of  the  Commission  4 

Reasons  for  leaving 19-23,  60,  61 

Reason  for  Survey  ~ 4 

Recommendations 7,     8 

Records  advised  87-89 

Eent    _ „ 76 

Responsibility  for  leaving  17,  18 

Retardation  16,  59,  60 

Sources  of  Material  9,  56 

Standard  of  Living 71-78 

Teachers'  Club  5 

Telephone  Girls  47,  48 

Trades  _ 38,  39 

Trade  Schools 62,  63 

Typical  Records 48-54 

Union  wages  and  hours - 79-83 

Unity  House  5 

Vocational  Guidance ~ 7,  67,  68 

Wages   43,  44 

Wages  in  Minneapolis  71-73 

Wages  influenced  by  education  — _ 65 

Wages  of  boys  and  girls  compared  ~ 66 

Wages  of   females _ 74,  75 

Wages  of  males  ~ 73,  74 

Wholesale   Houses   47 

Widow's  Pensions  62 

Work  and  Wages 30,  31 


90 


UNIVERSITY  OP  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


JAN   7.3 


NOV  11  1916 
JUL241917 
JUN  1  1918 

JUS  13  1918 


NOV  * 

FEB  14 
MAP  27  1919 


29  1919 
JUL  21 1119 
KB  IB  1923 


- 


311827 


30m  6,'14 


1C.  05401 


285680 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


